A Beautiful Mess
by SilverIsabella
Summary: Bella is an angel who falls in love Edward Masen and chooses to fall from Heaven to assume a human life with her beloved. But things don't work as they should & Bella finds herself without Edward. Explores religious & vampire theories. AU & very OOC. ExB.
1. Choices & Consequences

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Copyright infringement is not intended. Ownership belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I do own the character of Legacy though. Warning: This story explores Christian Religious theories, Angels, and the theory on how vampires came into existence. I really don't want to offend anyone so please don't read if you feel offended in any way. If you are not bothered by it, then I hope that you enjoy the read.

Playlist: Glitter in the Air (Pink), Running Up That Hill (Placebo)

Choices and Consequences

I walked this earth for almost six thousand years. There wasn't much that I haven't seen of humanity that could shock me or stop me dead in my track. My purpose was to watch, observe, occasionally guard and I was growing tired of the monotony of it all. An angel can't die unless they decided to follow Lucifer and his carnal ways straight to Hell itself. Or, you could fall and become human. But that takes time and most definitely patience. So I waited biding my time. But that meant I had to wait my turn. There were others before me. Others who were waiting and had considerably much more time than I had.

The year was 1918 and with keen interest and unbeknownst, I watched him. I found the one that I wanted to spend my human life with if I could. For months now I watched him just as I was watching him now going about his days. He had a few friends, loved his father and was devoted to his mother. He was studious, a talented piano player and a graceful dancer. This boy wanted to be a soldier to a war that would soon end and to the devastated heart of his mother; he will never have to go. But if God would grant me my humanity, would he, could he love me? Or would he pass me by?

I could have followed, as no one would have ever seen me. Very few human throughout history have and there were even fewer that could sense that I was there around them, hovering. Mrs. Masen had an uncanny ability to sense things that others could not, so I kept my distance. But from the roof of the bookstore across the street, I watched Edward Masen dutifully help his beloved mother with packages and groceries. I watched them walk up the street although I did not follow; I knew where the Masen residence was. I waited, again biding my time until the celestial bodies where aligned right.

"Don't you find them quite boring?" Legacy asked. Legacy was a true friend indeed, my cohort, and partner in crime so to speak. He didn't understand my deep seeded fascination with human beings. Well, one in particular really. Most of them I did find dreadfully boring, arrogant complainers who were stuck on themselves. But not Edward, he was different. He was the most beautiful human being that I have ever seen. "I mean come on Bella," He went on. "They kind of all look the same. Don't you think?"

"Isn't that why God created the human race," I made a wide swooping gesture to the multitudes of shoppers below and I shook my head vehemently in disagreement. "To have variety, to create something that had the choice to love you or not. These beings are given the greatest gift in the world...freewill."

"Ah! Freewill," He blanched. "What a foreign concept to these creatures. They choose to enslave themselves above all to money, possessions and people. They know not what lies inside them and the power that was truly bestowed on them. But yet they choose to walk on never fully aware as to what they actually posses."

I ignored Legacy as usual. He was my best friend if you could call him that but he showed up at the most inopportune moments. I was tired and I was tired of being alone. From the tattered roof of the bookstore I could see others of our kind dutifully guarding their human charges. There was more to just guarding a mere human every now and again. I wanted to feel what they felt. Every emotion they ever displayed. Eat the food that they almost reverently prepared and then consumed on a daily basis. To lie beside a man and feel the warmth of his flesh radiate towards you. What did Edward feel like? I wanted to know.

I wasn't sure exactly what drew me to him. It was like destiny called to me that we were supposed to be together, to be human, to not be alone. I knew love but only the love that was between the Creator and His subjects. I knew no other love. I crave to feel the kind of love that Adam had for Eve. And oh don't get me started on Lilith. Not that she was a mistake, none of God's creatures are, and I am sure that He still has plans for her somewhere along the line. It was not for me to judge. Since observing the two lovers in the Garden, I wanted what they had. Even when they fell from God's favor, they still held an unmistakable bond towards each other.

Viewing love first hand and then through the millennia aroused pangs of emotions that I didn't know as an angel I could posses. After witnessing Mark Antony and Cleopatra's volatile and passionate love, I vowed before my self and God above that I would feel this way some day. I wanted it. Desired it. Above all else I had to have it as my very own.

"Was there a reason that you've come to torture me, Legacy?" My head bowed down still watching the people mill about with quickness as the evening approached.

"You know," He sighed. "You have finally been assigned." He said this with almost disgust and disgrace.

I felt a small smile creep at the corners of my mouth. "Finally," I said with probably too much excitement.

"Don't get yourself too excited just yet," He fumed. "After our sunset worship, you are to meet specifically with Uriel. Meeting with elders Bella is never a good portent."

"Not good for whom, Legacy," I wanted him to feel a twinge jealousy but it was an emotion that would never cross his mind.

When an angel changes, their change is complete. There is no going back. God knows that once we are changed there is little choice before us. We can remain miserable for all of eternity or He can allow us to experience the free will He loving bestowed upon His human creation.

In contemplation and silent prayer, we sat watching the sun as it began to dip lower behind the horizon. The mill of the street below was muted as the Song of the Seraphim filtered through the air and landed worshipingly on our lips. Angels were messengers, guardians and charges to humans but the Seraphim were in constant worship of our Lord. Never, in my account, have I ever heard of them falling away from Heaven. They surrounded the very Throne Room of God singing Holy, Holy, Holy. Every evening and every sunrise the heavens stopped for just a brief moment to glorify the Eternal Loving Father. It didn't matter where in the world you were the quiet chatter of the angels stopped. A beautiful array of Seraphic voices splayed from the Heavens. Humans would never hear this. Oh how I wish they could, but human ears alone could never contain the beauty. It was beyond the realm of their wildest imaginations.

When the evening veneration for our Father was over and without the slightest twinkling of thought, I was sitting on the white-capped mountains of the Himalayas across from Uriel himself. Even for an angel, I felt a slight twinge of fear emanate from an elder. This was only the second time in my long career as an angel that I was in the presence of an elder. The first was when the Lord incarnated Himself as a mortal man and then was on display. Nailed to a cross for all humanity to see…and to die for. Not an Arc Angel, or elder was to be found in heaven that day. Jerusalem was filled with Passover patrons, Roman soldiers and angels alike. The world was changed that afternoon both in Heaven and on Earth. Even as an angel myself I couldn't look upon an Arc nor could the face of an elder be distinguished.

Just as I sit here now a brilliant light blinded the face of Uriel. What his features were, I couldn't tell you. But his beauty was beyond space and time. In his lap he held a scroll that I was sure held my orders. I suppose that if angels could get sick, I would have. But since I don't eat, that would be fantastically impossible. I wished for the briefest moment that Legacy could be here to hold my hand. But this was something that I had to do myself. This is what I wanted, much to his dismay.

"Bella," Uriel's voice shock and vibrated off the mountains most definitely causing an avalanche or two somewhere. He unrolled the scroll that lay before him. It was blank until he fully unrolled it. Then words appeared in some language only known between God and His elders. "Is it by your choice that you choose to fall away and follow the human race?"

"Yes, sir it is," I said keeping my eyes in my lap.

Again in reverberation his voice rocked the mountain, "It here by on the thirteenth day in nineteen hundred and eighty-eight that your day of absolution shall be granted by the Lord God Himself."

_No! No, no, no!_ They had this all wrong! Edward would be dead by then, or at the very least, waiting in the throws of death. I wanted to spend it with him! This couldn't be! I opened my mouth to protest but words wouldn't find me. And Uriel kept reading from the scroll completely unaware of my silent pleas. "On that day you will be born unto a human family of God's choosing. You will have no former memory of your time as an angel. Bella, you are one of God's perfectly created beings but by your choice you will become fallible, subject to the laws set forth by man. You will no longer be bound to Heaven and it's Creator. You will be set free, as is your choosing. You will look for Grace but never finding it for angels that fall away are not born with it as human beings are. Bella the choice cannot be undone once it is granted. When you and I part ways the order is set in motion and has been put forth selected for that given day in history. There is now no turning back. It is now done and so shall it be."

The cadence of Uriel's voice ceased and he was gone. I alone sat atop the mountain listening to the whipping winds that blew in blinding snow. I sat for days listening to the human voices below asking for help and guidance and never once did God ask me to intervene. I knew that He still loved me. I was His creation but I had made my choice and my choice was not going to involve Edward. He would be an old man when I was just seconds old.

I knew Legacy came to keep me company but I hardly took notice of him and then he was off again on another order to guard some reckless human. I sat there for months wondering about Edward and the life he was leading now. I couldn't bear to see him happy with another, having a career and fathering children that I wished were mine. How did I go so wrong? Would it have helped if I were more specific in my request for humanity? God's time was not my own, so probably not.

Wondering about the isolated mountain top Legacy came to join me once again. "I came to give you a message, Bella."

With only desperation for things he can't change, I glanced at him without saying a word.

"That human," Legacy met my glance and didn't waver. There was not a sad sorry bone in his angelic body for me. They were emotions he could never feel. "That boy is very much ill. He's guaranteed to live only for the next forty-eight hours."

My desperation turned to agony. Where my heart would eventually be I felt an ache that I had never experienced before. Was this heartache? The humans that I scoffed off were right this was painful. I turned to flee but Legacy caught my arm.

"Bella, I can never imagine what you are feeling right now," He bowed his head. "But I am your friend and I do care about you. You are a creation of our most Holy. I came to warn you that there is an immortal lurking amongst the hospital that your human is at."

"Why are you telling me this?" I questioned. "Immortals do not scare me. In fact, they like humans cannot see us."

As he fled I could hear his voice still lingering on the wind, "It's just a warning, Bella. Use how ever you will."

A millisecond later I found Edward's frail, blood stained and fever ridden body strewn amongst others of a similar nature just in various stages of sickness. I had to curse myself for not being here sooner. Instead I chose to wallow in my in self imposed isolated mountain top prison. I did the only thing I could do. I prayed.

"God," I got down on my knees the way I had see other throughout the centuries do when sending their heartfelt requests to God. "I know that you can still hear me. You can see me. I know the request that I have made of you and I will honor that. I wanted free will and you have given it to me. A life with Edward was not meant to be for me and I know this now. But God, he's still so young. He has his whole life ahead of him. He deserves a wife and children. Oh, Lord, even if we cannot be together surely there is some one out there that is deserving of his love."

My eyes began to sting and well up until they over flowed. I was crying…I was crying! Angels don't cry. They can't!

In a whisper, "Please, God, I am asking you for a miracle here."

Hours went by and nothing. Edward only got worse. I watched as his frail mother, who was every bit as ill as he, tended to his every need. I wasn't sure if she sensed that I was even there. If she had, she made no show of it. When she finally lay back down on the cot next to him I drew my self closer to Edward.

"Edward," I found my breath hitching and yet I had no need for it. "I wanted you to have a full life, a life so full of happiness and love. You deserve it. I wished I could have been the one to give it to you. And here you lay in the throws of this retched sickness. What I wouldn't give to take this from you. I wish that I could."

Again my eyes stung with the strangeness of tears and I dared to do something that I had never done to any human in six thousand years. I ever so gently laid my head on Edward's chest.

I could hear the air in his body wheeze and wrestle in his lungs. But most notably I heard him sigh and his body relaxed. If this was the only thing I could provide him. The only comfort I could give him before the angel of death took him from my grasp forever, then I would do it.

"Would you," A frail week voice flitted over to me. She knew. How could she not really? Being in throws of death herself, she still felt my presence. "Would you save my son if you could?"

"Yes," I whispered back. But death knew no age. Humans are all marked for death the moment they're born. To the youngest of infants to the eldest of man, they are stamped for time. Every second, minute, hour, day, or any number of years etched into their soul. It was only a matter of time before Death came to claim them.

Weak and just barely audible, "You have to save him. Do anything in your power, please." Mrs. Masen begged. " I know what you are. I have known for months. Is this why you are here? Did you know we were close to death?"

Still laying my head on her son's chest, I whispered back to her, "No." I finally lifted my head and immediately Edward tensed. Not wanting to cause him any more distress, I deftly laid my hand on his arm and saw him calm down again. "I was watching your son."

"You were my Edward's guardian angel then," Her voice sounded even feebler than before. "How come you let this happen?"

"I didn't," I said ever so calmly. "This was God's choosing. Not mine. I was not your son's guardian. He was not my charge."

"Then why?"

"Because I fell in love with him and yet I could never have him."

"Oh, I am sure he would have fallen in love with you. That I know." She almost laughed.

As it saddens my heart, I freely admitted it to her. What would it hurt? She was dying. "By the time I get my chance at humanity, Edward would be gone or at the very least an old man when I was just a child."

Mrs. Masen coughed and sputtered, blood leaking from the corner of her mouth. Her time was now very short. And that's when I saw him, the immortal that posed as a doctor in the hospital. He took no recollection of me. He had no sense of me being there.

I've come across immortals throughout the years. In fact they were as old as humanity itself. Immortals, vampires, creatures of the night, they were the offspring of Cain and Lilith. As Cain was marked so that no human or angel would ever touch him so were his offspring. The myths and legends about vampires were wrong. The stories were made up, started amongst their own kind. They could go out in the sun but humans would know that they were different. Their skin was ingrained in the finest diamond powder, literally. Their skin would sparkle with a rainbow of colors. So most chose to come out at night only while some walked about on cloudy days. Their diet of blood is true and the way of the vampire was to feed on humans. Some took up humanity as their issue and chose to live off the blood of animals instead. This made it easier to blend in with the human population. The eyes of vampires who fed off humans were ruby red. While those immortals that chose animal blood, their eyes were a golden honey color. It was still a hard choice to live by. Most would eventually fall off the proverbial wagon.

And then the words of Legacy came flooding back to me. '_It's just a warning Bella. Use how ever you will.' _ I knew what I had to do. It was the way of the vampire not to betray another. To let a human know what they were was a dangerous thing, not only for the human involved but for the vampire as well. It was a crime amongst their kind and punishable by death. Just because I knew of immortals didn't mean I could tell another soul about them. This immortal doctor didn't need the danger in his life.

"Angel, do you have a name?" Her voice was just above a whisper.

"Yes," I said with glee. "My name is Bella."

"I should have known that a beautiful voice would have such a beautiful name."

"Mrs. Masen?" She didn't acknowledge me but turned her head in my direction. " Please don't speak any more. You need your energy and you need to listen very carefully to what I am about to tell you. Being an angel, I know things and have seen many things that could make a human's head spin. There is a doctor that will be coming in to check on your in a matter if minutes. It is not my nature to disclose what he truly is but he can help your son if you wish it so.

"When he comes to wipe the sweat and blood from your face tell him that you know what he is, that he is different and that he can help your son. He can save your Edward and you if you so choose. This doctor is lost and lonely and looking for companionship. He will do it. As I am sure that he will."

I knew what I was asking. I was asking Edward to be condemned to an eternal life of the fiery flames of blood lust. I couldn't just sit here and watch him die but would Edward want this? Would his mother if she truly knew? This was a risk I was willing to take.

As long as God will let me, I will hold Edward as he writhes in the burning pit of hell that his body will go through. I've seen immortals go through transition. Their bodies cursed to become hard as stone, like a diamond they were damned for all eternity to be.

The immortal doctor came in to attend to Mrs. Masen first like the gentleman he was brought up to be. But true to form, she pushed him away to take care of her son.

"You are every bit as bad as he is Mrs. Masen. I don't think it matters who I attend to first."

The good doctor tried again to place a cold washcloth on Edward's mother's forehead. Instead she grabbed his wrist. She didn't flinch at hard stony coldness of his arm. Mrs. Masen trusted that I had some clue as to what I was talking about.

"You have to do something for me," She whispered.

"I'll do what I can, ma'am."

"I know what you are. I know that you are different from others."

The vampire tried to back away from the sick woman.

"Please," She begged in a barely there voice. "Please help my son. I know that you can. I know that you can give him a life beyond this one. One where he will never get sick like this again."

"So, this is the life that you see for your boy?" He assumed that she really knew what he was. The truth of the matter was that she didn't have the slightest clue as to what she was really asking from him. She may have changed her mind had she have known.

"Yes, I want you to save him, doctor."

He looked at her in an odd way before responding. "Then your son will never know death from this disease. But he shall know death every moment of his new life. Are you still willing that your son be spared?"

Mrs. Masen turned in my direction as if she had seen me. And I wasn't so sure she hadn't. "I have it on good authority that he will be spared and you are the one that can help him."

I nodded my head and offered her a reassuring smile. On one side of her I saw Mr. Masen, Edward's father, touching her hand. He waited for his beloved wife before crossing over himself.

The Holy light of Heaven was calling the two of them home. It was an act that I have gotten to witness time and time again and it was just as beautiful as the first time I had seen it.

Brilliant white light burst forth and the Masen's sans Edward were ready to walk into it. Before fully emerging into it, Mrs. Masen turned to me and uttered a 'thank you' and Mr. Masen tipped his fedora hat to me.

Not two seconds later was the good doctor wheeling Mrs. Masen's body to the morgue.

"They're dead." He proclaimed to the attendant.

"Just wheel the second body in, Dr. Cullen." The attendant barely looked at the doctor. "I have to run to the front office to grab some paperwork for these two."

Seeing that this was his chance to get away with Edward, Dr. Cullen took it. Edward's body would never be missed. With quick thinking, the immortal replaced Edward's corps with another. ID's would never be checked and within the hour two more of the dying and the sick will take the Masen's place in the beds that they once occupied.

Easily, I followed Dr. Cullen over the rooftops of the city towards his dwelling. I will stay with Edward until it's my appointed time to enter life as a human. This is all the time I will ever have with my beloved. Again, it saddened my heart. But this was my choice and now it can never be undone.

Before entering Dr. Cullen's place of residence, I caught sight of Legacy waiting out side.

"So, you heeded my advice?"

"I did what I could," I admitted a little reluctantly.

"I have orders before you proceed into that house, Bella." Legacy turned away so that I couldn't read his eyes.

"What orders?" I felt defeated as if now I was going to be taken away from this.

"Oh, Bella, don't look like that. You know if it were up to me that I'd let you stay with your human. But you're still an angel. You have a job to do until your given time."

"Can I at least see him through his transformation?" My non-existent heart just deflated. Right here, right now, I didn't want to go on.

"No," Legacy said defiantly. "In one hour your new charge will be born in a town in Rochester, New York. Rosalie Hale will be born and you need to be there when she arrives in this world."

I couldn't look at him. Why? Why was this happening? "Can't immortals have guardians too just like everyone else?"

"Oh, Bella, don't be ridiculous. You know as well as I do that immortality is a curse place by God Himself for the unjust murder of Able. They do not need guardians." Legacy looked up at the good Doctor's house. "You have a few minutes to say your goodbyes. He is going to turn the boy soon. You can stay for that and then I have to take you to your next job."

I turned my head to glance up at the very window where my young Edward lay. I was elated that I would get to say goodbye at least.

Without a second thought I was in the room. I watched the sweat pour off his face. His fever was getting worse and there was not much time left for him.

Dr. Cullen paced the room pinching the bridge of his nose as he did. I wish I could reassure him that all was going to be all right and that he could do this. If he was in control enough of his blood lust to working in a hospital night after night, then he could do this.

I got up close to the vampire and for a moment even, I an angel created by God, had to shutter in fear of this creature before me. I closed in just making my voice audible and hoping beyond hope he would believe it to be his very own conscience.

"You've been lonely too long, " I whispered softly. "The boy will be like a son to you in time. Companionship - some one to nurture and to teach. You can do this."

My encouragement seemed to have worked as the doctor approached Edward.

"I am so sorry," He apologized.

Dr. Cullen leaned forward as his lips grazed Edward's throat. The act almost looked too intimate but I couldn't tear myself away.

Edward mumbled at first and then his throaty murmurs gave way to blood curdling screams as the vampire's shape teeth sank into soft warm flesh. I noticed that the doctor did not drink the blood that flowed freely from my beloved's throat. He stayed true to his diet of animal blood. Dr. Cullen quickly sealed the wound with his tongue, locking in the life changing venom.

And as if he saw me, Dr. Cullen looked me in the eye. "I did it. I finally did it."

Edward continued to writhe and scream as the burn began to take over his body. The doctor pulled up a chair and took my love's hand and his. Being a witness himself to plenty of transformations over the years, he knew what to expect. He wasted no time in telling Edward what to expect and what he was to become.

I caught sight of Legacy standing in the corner of the room waiting for me.

"Bella, it's time," He said.

I didn't, no, I couldn't answer him. My proverbial heart was stuck in my throat. Tears welled up in my eyes, spilling over on to my cheek. I walked around to the other side of the bed. Laying my hands on Edward's still beating heart, he seemed to calm for a moment. I leaned down and breathed in his warm vanilla scent that was doused with a touch of sunshine. I would never forget the way he smelled. I would know it anywhere. Lightly, I touched my lips to his forehead.

"I will never forget you, Edward Masen." I whispered before breathing in his scent again.

As soon as I lifted my hand from his heart he writhed in pain again. If I could only stay with him, then Edward wouldn't have to go through the change in torturous pain.

"Bella, just as humans are born into this world alone, immortals are to be born the same way."

"That just doesn't seem fair, Legacy. Why did He have to make it so painful?"

"It's a curse, just as labor is to a woman. It's a curse brought on by Eve and Cain brought this on. Curses are not meant to be a lovely and wondrous experience. They are meant to be painful…and speaking of painful, Rosalie Hale will be born in a matter of minutes to a woman who spent the last twenty hours in the retched pain of labor."

I looked back at Edward for the last time before racing through time and space to get to a hospital delivery room. Where one life was ending miles and miles away, one was being born. If I wasn't so heart broken I might have seen the irony and the beauty in that scenario. But I didn't.


	2. Rosalie Hale

Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga or these wonderful characters…except for Legacy but all else belongs to S. Meyer. WARNING: This chapter discusses the rape and assault on Rosalie that she describes in Eclipse. If this bothers you, please don't read but I thought it was very important to put it in here.

The Short life of Rosalie Hale

For the first time in six thousand years I did not participate in the Sunset Worship of our Lord. In that exact same moments as the Heavens were silenced, little Rosalie Lillian Hale took her first, miraculous, Life Giving Breath. Things change in an instant. The Life Giving Breath is actually the moment that the soul enters the body and doesn't leave until God demes it's time. If only humans could see it, birth would be an even more miraculous and awe inspiring moment.

Before her mother actually laid eyes on the tiny squirming figure, Rosalie was all ready the apple of her mother's eye. She was to be a prized addition to the family and the little girl that her mother would constantly dote on. Rosalie Hale was indeed that, one of the most beautiful babies I had ever seen.

She was a child that was born into a world of wealth and privilege and would never want for anything. As she lay in her basinet the nurses began to clean her off. This is when the child noticed me. I would be a constant presence in her life. It was a curious thing with children they could always see us. More often than not we were chalked off as the imaginary friends and soon around the ages of seven, eight and nine they could no longer see us anymore. For some I suppose that this would seem like a sad moment but it truly isn't. This lets us do the job we were charged with. Although, some, like Mrs. Masen never fully forget that there are things in this world that are unseen.

I watched as a very flustered nurse tried to wrap a wriggling Rosalie in a security blanket. I laughed out loud knowing that no one but the child could hear me. The baby stilled at hearing my voice and as humorous as the situation was I figured I could at least help out the ever so frustrated nurse. After several attempts at trying to secure the child, the nurse finally handed over Rosalie to her mother.

Being a charge over Rosalie was an easy job. She was rarely in trouble with her mother. Rosalie was the child most parents dreamed of, mild tempered and the jewel of the town's eye.

I watched little Rosalie grow from a beautiful child to a stunning woman. Gone were the days she would wake up from sleep and look around the room for me. Gone were the smiles and the laughter that we shared together. It was the way it was supposed to be. I had done this countless of times now. This act was not a sad one for me. It allowed me to do my job and guard her to the best of celestial abilities. She was becoming an envy of every young woman and brought lust into the hearts of men. She'd wink and smile all the while knowing exactly what she was doing.

I in turn envied her as well. Not for her youthful beauty but for the sheer fact that all she really wanted to do was settle down with some up and coming business man, be the love of his life, raise a bunch of babies herself, grow old with her love and watch her grandchildren playing in the yard. How could I not want that myself, it was all I wanted with Edward.

_Edward._ I sighed to myself. It was once a wonderful dream. My dream ended as soon as her mother came up stairs to wake Rosalie from her perfect peaceful slumber.

"Come on Rosalie," Her mother pulled back the covers in attempts to wake her. "I purposely forgot to make your father lunch this morning."

"You purposely forgot to make daddy lunch this morning?" Rosalie yawned.

"Yes, well," Her mother, sighed. "There seems to be a new assistant in your father's office. A young handsome assistant too."

This got Rosalie to perk up – a perspective husband.

"And," she encouraged her mother to continue.

"Oh, Rose," She helped her daughter get dressed and curl her hair. "His name is Royce Kingston and he's devilishly handsome. He's the son of your father's business partner and I think that the two of you would make a fine match indeed."

Mrs. Hale twirled her daughter around, getting a good look at her from all angles.

"So what do you think, momma? Am I beautiful?"

"Yes, Rose, yes." Her mother nodded in much approval. "Now come down stairs and lets get your father's lunch ready."

Rosalie all but skipped to the bank where he father worked greeting other passerby's as she walked. I couldn't help but feel happy for her. She was going to get all she ever wanted.

The secretary immediately ushered Rosalie into her father's office. "He's quite grumpy, you know. But he'll be glad to see you had brought him some lunch." Rosalie offered her a pretentious and fake laugh. The secretary tried to salvage some dignity, returned to her desk and applied more ruby red lipstick.

It was amusing to watch as people flaunted themselves over Rosalie. She may have wanted the perfect happy family but her beauty; her shallow beauty was everything to her. Rosalie looked down on those that she felt were beneath her. That in itself was a very ugly flaw and one she would never see for what it was.

As soon as her father opened the office door her eyes immediately lock on Royce. I could hear her heart flutter. Without a shadow of a doubt, she thought that she had found the man of her dreams. But this was wrong. This was so wrong.

I could see the blackness of his soul. The angel that guarded Royce had long been assigned to someone else leaving him to continue in his black deeds alone.

"No, Rose, no," I pleaded but to no avail. She would never hear me. "Please turn around and go home." I screamed at her.

Like magnets, her shallow but pure soul reached out to his dark and evil soul. In that instant I knew that it was over. Nothing good could come of this union.

Her father eagerly and gladly took his lunch from his daughter. Mr. Hale politely made the introductions knowing that his beloved daughter had capture Royce's blackened heart.

All I could do was watch as Rosalie and Royce courted for months on end. She never caught on to his wondering eye nor would she ever be present to witness his ever-roaming hands as they constantly caressed prostitute after prostitute or the occasional wanton lust filled woman who seemingly didn't care of sin and morality.

All the while, I had never seen Rosalie happier as her mother and the Rochester Social Club planned the wedding of the year. A very promising up and comer finally captured the bell of the town, that's what the local paper had said anyway. Oh, if they only knew.

There was nothing I could do to stop this marriage from taking place. It was unfortunately a part of life and one that I was forced to witness a thousand times before. My only hope was that Rosalie would experience some sort of happiness of her dream before Royce brought it all crashing down.

I walked beside a very happy Rosalie as she left her friends house for the evening. Up ahead I could see Royce and his friend drinking on the street corner. Not realizing that it was her husband to be was among the drunken bystanders she quickened her pace.

"_Good,"_ I thought. _"Lets get you safely home."_

Through his inebriation Royce caught sight of his fiancée.

"Oh, Rose," He called out. "Come here, darling."

"Royce, is that you?" She walked over to him feeling a bit safer and thinking that maybe; just maybe she wouldn't have to walk home alone now.

"Yes, sweetheart." He drunkenly sneered. "Guys, guys, I want you to meet my Rose." He all but yelled.

She slid over to him and took his hand in hers. "Darling, are you drunk?"

"Didn't I tell you that I captured the most beautiful woman in all of Rochester?" Royce ignored her question.

"I don't believe that you told us that she was this beautiful, Royce." In a disgusting display, his friend looked Rosalie up and down. "She'd be even more beautiful if she weren't covered by that unsightly winter coat."

Royce placed his hand on Rosalie's breast and began to grope her.

"Royce!" She shrieked and pulled away from his grasp. "I'll see you tomorrow when you are sober."

Rose walked away from them. I felt so helpless being only able to watch this sordid act take place. Royce fiercely grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to him again.

"Come on Rose, baby, don't be like that. Let them see the goods."

I've seen this act done thousands of time throughout history and it never ceased to shock me at how brutal the human race can be towards each other. No matter how loud I screamed or no matter how many times I tried to interfere, I could do absolutely nothing. I was forced to watch six men plus Royce repeatedly rape and beat Rosalie until she resembled nothing more than a bloody pulp lying in the street. Rosalie Hale was going to die before she even got to experience a portion of her dream.

I wanted to comfort her, take her in my arms, tell her to hang on and that she would be okay. But it would be a lie. Rosalie didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to die like this.

I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings, as I would have heard the footsteps approaching long ago. Looking up I caught sight of the Good Doctor running towards Rosalie. Just maybe she had a chance. But I knew that it was a little too late for the Doctor to bring her to the nearest hospital.

The immortal took stock of the area and surveyed Rosalie, all the while shacking his head in despair. We both knew that her time on this earth was nearing its end. The Doctor quickly scooped her up and ran to his dwelling.

I had no problem following. I was glad that the Good Doctor had been the one to find her. Rosalie's parents would no doubt be heartbroken but they didn't need to see their daughter like this. Maybe he would do for her what he did for my Edward.

_My Edward!_ I gasped. I was going to see him after all these years.

My non-existent heart skipped a beat when I spied him in the window. He was so handsome. His vibrant green eyes were replaced by the same golden honey color that the doctor had. I was glad that he seemed to have adopted the doctor's diet of animal blood.

With much excitement, I followed the immortal in the house. Edward perked up and looked at the door when I walked through. For a moment I thought that he could some how sense me being here. I would have welcomed it.

"Rosalie Hale!" Edward exclaimed. "Carlisle, what are you thinking? The town is surely going to miss it beauty queen."

"I was hoping that she could be a mate for you, like Esme's mine." The doctor laid Rosalie down a bed up stairs.

Rosalie being his mate, I couldn't even entertain the idea. But I suppose that if anyone was going to be Edward's mate than it should be Rosalie. They both deserved to be happy.

"A mate Carlisle?" Edward laughed in annoyance. " I really don't think so."

A third immortal joined the room. I could only guess that this was Carlisle's mate, Esme. She was a pretty woman with light brown hair that hung past her shoulders. She lovingly, almost motherly in a way, helped the Good Doctor clean Rosalie off.

"Do it Carlisle." She brushed her hand lightly against his cheek. "She's suffering."

"She's going to suffer even more after the venom courses through her veins, Esme." Edward sneered and backed himself up against the wall. "This is going to be a huge mistake."

He didn't want this. How could he not want somebody to have a second shot at life? I made sure it happened for him. Did he want to die of the Spanish Influenza? Had I made the wrong move in trying to save him? It was most definitely a selfish act on my part. But had I made a mistake?

"Edward, darling, Carlisle wants to do this for you. We both don't want to see you suffer alone anymore. You deserve to have somebody and be happy." Esme tried to coddle him. It didn't work. Edward only stiffened his resolve.

"What would make you think that I wanted _her_?" He said defiantly. "I didn't find her remotely attractive when she was alive. What makes you think it will be any different when she's a rabid newborn?"

Carlisle seemed torn. He wanted to give his son every thing that he had but creating a new vampire just so his son would be happy was wrong. Carlisle had Edward's mother's permission to go ahead and give her son a second chance at life. But Rosalie was different. She was unconscious and in less then a half an hour's time she will be dead.

The Good Doctor knew this. Time was running out so he made the ultimate choice for her. He chose to give her what he had even if Edward didn't want her.

I was happy. Rosalie will never have the life that she dreamed and longed for but she will have life again. It's my hope that she can at least find some of the happiness that she once had. Maybe in time Edward will change his mind and be what Carlisle longed for him to be.

My time with Rosalie was short. Being on the doorstep to death made her vaguely aware of my presence.

"I'm so sorry that I could not save you form the monsters that attacked you and left you for dead." I whispered in her ear. "I wish I could have done more for you. But I promise that you will be taken care of and loved."

I looked towards Edward one last time. I regretted that he was so unhappy and that I was so selfish for wishing this life on him. This immortal life should not have been forced on him. I could see this now but I just couldn't bear to be in a world where Edward doesn't exist.

In a whirlwind unbeknownst to the three immortals in the room, I was whisked away to my mountain top retreat upon a snowy peak in the Himalayas.

It's not uncommon for angels to spend some solitary time way from humans and angels a like after witnessing horrific deaths such as what Rosalie went through. To be honest, I really didn't see the point in me being the charge of Rosalie. Never once did I interfere with her life. I was more or less an unseen companion just along for the ride. And maybe that's what God wanted it to be for me.

As I sat down on my snowy retreat, I prayed to God that it would be a long while before He sent me another charge. And I also prayed that I didn't mess the life up of Rosalie like I had Edward's. I hoped that Rosalie would come to except it as the Good Doctor did.

Time means nothing to us, usually. But what seems like mere minutes are actually years on earth. Minutes, years ticked by before Legacy came to sit beside me in peaceful silence…and it was nice.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I just want to say thanks to all those that commented, and faved this story. It really makes my day. Have a great week.


	3. The Bearer of Honesty and Truthfulness

Disclaimer: The Twilight Saga belongs to Ms. Meyer. Copyright infringement is not intended. Again I am placing a **warning** here as this story does explore theories regarding religion. And this chapter here deals heavily in it. Please remember that this is AU and I don't plan on rewriting The Twilight Saga. It has already been done quite successfully and redone by some wonderful fan fic writers as well. But I do plan on taking this is a different direction. All your favorite characters will be in it as well as cannon couples. That I will not take away and I hope you will stick with me through the journey.

Playlist: She talks to Angels (The Black Crowes), Running Up That Hill (Placebo),

The Bearer of Honesty and Absolute Truthfulness

…..

I would have been happy to sit and bide my time in relative peace and quiet but Legacy had other ideas.

"I don't know why it is that you're getting yourself so worked up?" He began to question as the wind and the snow on the mountain picked up.

"And what would make you think that I am working my self up?" He had been right. I just didn't like that he could pick up my feelings so well.

"Six thousand years of your constant brooding, it kind of makes me an expert, doesn't it?" Legacy offered me a big toothy smile and I couldn't help but laugh. Yes, we had thousands of years to get to know each other well. I wondered if he would miss me when I was finally human? "It's good to see you laugh, you know."

I shook my head. Yes, it did feel good to release some of that built up tension.

"So," I began. "Are you here just keeping me company until you get orders to guard someone else or do you have orders for me as well. Because I am assuming that my retreat time is just about over."

"Well, yes and no," He sighed. "I do love your company even if we sit in comparative silence. This is therapeutic for me as well. My last charge didn't go so well. Murdered. He decided that opening a Speak Easy would be a profitable gain…a profitable gain to someone else, maybe. Humans. Always quick to blame their problems on everything else instead of looking at themselves for the answers."

"Hmmm…" I nodded my head in agreement.

"Wait, did you just agree with me?" Legacy looked up at me feigning shock.

"Yes," I laughed again. "I guess I did. There's a first for everything. But don't get your hopes up. I won't let it happen again."

"Sorry to bring our humor to an end." I knew it was coming. He wasn't just here for a random visit or to sooth his therapeutic side. I still had work to do before my time here was over. "Business is at hand again, my dear Bella."

I didn't ask who. I just accepted my task. This time I'll try not to get too involved emotionally.

…..

Not every birth was the same. Some mothers were just ecstatic to finally meet the child that they carried for nine months. Others, both child and mother were lost to the labor of birth because medical technology hasn't caught up with itself yet. Those were the ones that I hated being present for. It wasn't for the one or two souls that were coming home but for the grievance and strain that it placed on other family members. Then there were mothers who looked at the birth of a child as a job or some annoyance that was just getting in the way. The child didn't matter much. Living arrangements and circumstances didn't help much either.

But this is how Mary Alice Brandon entered the world. To her mother she was just another mouth to feed and their too small of a house just couldn't accommodate another person. Mary Alice's mother took no loving approach to be motherly and bond with her child at all.

Like every infant, she caught my gaze and didn't turn away. The bond between us was now formed. Behind her deep blue eyes, Mary Alice reminded me of an old soul. A part of me wondered if she was indeed an angel that chose the life of a human and she just had a fleeting memory of what it was like to be one of our kind. Memories like that, or so I heard, are soon forgotten. But those are the children that you have to watch out for because most of them, if not all of them have some form of psychic ability.

I had a feeling that being the charge over little Mary Alice Brandon would be an interesting one all around. Every intent I had at not getting emotionally involved just flew out the window. She certainly was going to need me.

It was then that I realized that I wasn't alone in the room with the child. Of course we are never really fully alone. Each human has their guardian to watch over them and very rarely do we say anything to each other, or stand in the way. But this being was entirely different. Crouching in the dark corner of the room he watched me interact with the child with acute interest. Dare I say that he was almost amused? It left me with a sickly uncomfortable feeling that I just couldn't put my finger on.

"I'd really like it if you would please leave." My voice was full but uneasy.

"Tsk, tsk, Bella," He said clucking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "This is where I belong, my domain."

"A stuffy, over crowded nursery is your domain?" I sarcastically questioned trying to let this creature know that I was not afraid of him.

The other angels in the room were completely oblivious to the presence of this being. Either they did not see him because his interest was solely for my charge, and me or for the same reason; he was not here for them and their charges and therefore chose to ignore him.

He stayed crouched in his dank dark corner of the room never letting me fully see his true form. "Ah, my domain is not limited to this room only, my dear. My domain, my kingdom is this entire planet." He made a wide gesture with his hands illustrating the girth of _his_ domain.

I hovered closer to Mary Alice in sheer defense at realizing just who exactly was in this room with us. Angels and demons never really keep in close contact with each other. I can in fact say that I have never been around one before. The driving out of demons or the destruction of them are left entirely to Michael and his army of Arcs.

"You're a demon." I spat.

A malicious laugh escaped his lips. "Oh, no, no, no. You are solely mistaken on that account, Bella."

I didn't like where this was going at all. There was no way on God's green earth, literally, that I was letting this monster come between my charge and myself.

I looked towards the ceiling, past the flickering of phosphorous lights that were damaged from heat and humidity; centering my focus I began my prayer. "Lord in Heaven, Maker and Creator of all things both in heaven and earth, please hear my plea?"

I was cut off by the creature's insidious laugh. "Oh, He will not help you. Who do you think gave me this dominion?"

"Satan," I whispered.

"Yes," That word slithered off his tongue like the snake that he is. "I have many names. None of which I really care for, by the way. Mere humans made it all up and I do have to say that I am sadly portrayed in their histories too. But what's one to do?" He sighed as if he couldn't help what was written or said about him.

"Hmm, where shall I begin?" Lucifer lithely stepped out from his dark corner. The stories about his beauty didn't do him justice. He was not some red creature with horns, pointed tail and pitchfork,, sadly he was right about that one, mere humans did make that tale up. All angels, at least to my perception anyway, are beautiful and unlike Arcs and Elders that could not be looked upon, I could take in the glorious ethereal beauty of Lucifer. History got that right. God's most perfect and quite possibly His most selfish creation was standing before me.

"First off, let me put your little angelic mind at ease. I am not here for the child. So your guarded protective stance is a bit unnecessary." He sneered and sauntered closer to me.

"This particular child will never belong to me. She will be true and all her own, a force to be reckoned with in the future. You will see…someday." He almost looked at her lovingly. "I really do love humanity despite what you have heard. In fact much of what you've heard is more than likely only half truths."

"God doesn't lie." I defended.

"No," Lucifer said softly. "But nor does He feel the need to fill you in on the whole truth either."

"Then what is the truth that I have obviously been so blinded to all these years?" I couldn't help myself. How did he even have the audacity to say these things to me? "You who are the Father of lies are going to proceed to tell me what is truth." I laughed.

"Cocky aren't we? We'll see how cocky you are when I'm finished. The Father of lies, huh, another half truth." He said with resounding sigh.

"I'm not sure I should listen to you." I found myself doubting. Doubting what I always perceived to be truth and doubting on whether or not Lucifer spoke any. But he in an ironic sort of way captivated me. Yes, he surely had my attention. And where was I to go anyway. I couldn't flee and leave Mary Alice. We were bound together until she inevitably leaves this life.

"Bella, from the moment that you saw me I already held your regard." He moved closer to me and I wondered if it was more or less of his beauty that I was drawn to and that lead me to doubt in the first place. Satan himself comes as a ray of light to deceive humans and now angels alike. Beauty can most definitely be a mask for what's ugly and grotesque underneath.

Not in earthly terms can I even begin to describe him. Adonis comes to mind. The handsome Greek youth that was slain by a wild boar. Michael Angelo's statue of David almost had the likes of Lucifer pegged…almost. His light brown hair was waved to absolute perfection and Lucifer's blue eyes sparkled like flawless sapphires. Every attribute, his mouth, his nose and cheekbones and total physique looked as if he were carved from the most infallible and perfect marble. His beauty even surpassed the vampire. They were not even comparable. He was beyond a shadow of a doubt impeccably flawless just like God created and intended him to be.

"So, do I still have your audience, my dear Bella?"

I could only nod my head in indication that yes; he certainly had my full attention indeed.

"Good. I prefer not to be interrupted. You know, it's not every day I get to regale my tale with honesty and truth.

I still had my doubts about his honesty and truth to a certain degree. I reminded my self to take what Lucifer says with a grain of salt.

"What is written in historical and religious documents are not complete truths," He wondered around the nursery looking lovingly at each and every child lying in their bassinets never arousing the attention of other angels. " I was God's first creation. Emanuel…Jesus was his second. I had a lot of power. I still do to a point. He's a jealous God. But I didn't have to tell you that. He made that statement Himself on more than one occasion. He's very easily bored and very little holds His amusement. Seraphim's were created next as He thought we needed constant singing and adoration. Then races of Arc Angels were created, warriors, messengers and cherubim all highly loyal to Him. But yet He was soon bored again. The constant worship and adoration was not enough. He wanted more. Your race of angels were created next, you who are little higher than human beings themselves. But He thought enough to placed you as guardians of them. As if I have to say it again, He grew bored with you and your race as well. This did not go unnoticed by angels.

"Some angels throughout the ranks were beginning to feel this. While others continued in their worship and their adoration, free will was being born in others. But His boredom and constant yearning for that perfect love grew by leaps and bounds. Soon humans were created…well, one human in this case."

He casually leaned up against the wall in front of me crossing his arms and looking quite comfortable. "You see, Bella, the earth has always been my dominion, mine. It was given to me. He has Heaven and the infinite celestial space above. Earth, this lowly planet that was in his words "covered in disarray and chaos" was my rule and I was happy with that. But without so much as asking me He took it back. He thought it was in his right to do so and in a way I guess it was. I was His left hand and Emanuel is His right. Emanuel is set to be King of this world now. But still I do not begrudge Him or Emanuel this. I kept thinking that maybe He had something better in mind for me. He always talked that He had great plans for Emanuel and myself.

" I watched on the sidelines as He created land, seas, vegetation, birds of the air, animals to roam through this lush vegetation, the Eden. And lastly He formed Adam from nothing but dirt and clay. Breathing life into this human He created something that has not shape or form, a soul. This is something you shall never posses, Bella. Did you know that? You will never be in His presence ever again. It is in His choosing who will get to see Heaven and who will not.

"But I am really getting ahead of myself now, aren't I? Let's see, where were we? Ah, yes, Adam. He gave Adam the task of naming the birds of the air and the animals of the land. Again, this you knew. As well as it's no big secret that Adam was growing bored and lonely. Oh, how like God humans are in personality. They really are. He did create them in His likeness after all. And just like Adam, Lilith was created in the very same fashion giving them both an air of equality. Which seem to really shatter Adam's little world when she would not submit to him. I watched them with keen interest. They were completely fascinating to me.

"That Lilith, she's a little spit fire, let me tell you. She tried desperately to get Adam to see their relationship as an equal partnership but he was not having it. Through countless efforts, Lilith finally gave up and left Eden for the world beyond the guarded gates of paradise. He saw this and allowed it to happen. He believed that creating Lilith was a mistake and in that He was wrong on all accounts and told her so many times. But He could not take back her humanity no matter how hard He tried. And believe me He did. He couldn't see that she possessed immeasurable potential. Letting her go, she became wild and unpredictable. On her own she became the shape shifter. Shifting between her human form and whatever animal caught her attention at the moment. Like her Creator, she was and still is a jealous being. Lilith watched from afar as He created another human for Adam. This time, this particular human was created from Adam, a part of him. Adam of course called her woman and named her Eve.

"Being the smart creature that she is, Lilith plotted revenge…and this revenge, I get blamed for time and time gain, as this could not even be possible yet because I haven't left Heaven at this particular time. And that's something that God Himself can and will attest to.

"She shape shifted into the crawling serpent that Adam namely called snake. With that she slithered up the Tree of Knowledge and waited, watching Adam and Eve's every move. She listened as they walked and talked with God every evening as they strolled through the garden. All the while He knew she was there and never said a thing to his beloved creations. He never thought to warn them of what she had planed. The downfall of humanity rests solely with Lilith. Although I could not blame her in the least bit, she certainly is a woman scorned. She became unwanted and unloved by both her Creator and the man she thought loved her. She cannot be entirely blamed for the revenge she took up. It was allowed.

"When God came back from His stroll I confronted Him.

'Did you think to warn them of her schemes and plots, my dear Lord?'

"And to this His only response was, 'Let things fall as they may, dear Lucifer.'

"I was despondent. I was growing fond of these humans. They were funny and made mistakes. But like Him, Emanuel and I had the foresight into the future. We all knew what was going to happen. Of course the future changes as people change their chosen path. That's the beauty of free will. Had I known from the beginning that I was going to get blamed for this whole sorry mess, I would have spoke up sooner.

'Lord, you have to do something? You can't let Lilith do this to them. Please, Lord, think about it.' I begged of Him unmercifully. But it was to no avail.

'Lucifer, why do you worry about such things as this? This is my game. I am playing right now. Please just indulge me.' He sat down on His throne beside Emanuel. 'Are you worried Emanuel about what is about to take place?'

'No, Father, I am not.' He looked upon our Father with such unconditional love. I believe to this day that if Emanuel had expressed concern over the situation, our Lord may have changed history completely.

"And because I was out numbered things were left to unfold. We watched as Lilith tempted Eve and took this information back to Adam. Adam fought with her. He didn't like it one bit and didn't trust the creature that lurked in the Tree. No animal that he knew could talk with human words. But Eve insisted that what this creature spoke was truth. And in a way Lilith did. She knew that she would succeed in coaxing Eve. She enticed with promises so tempting that even I, if I hadn't known how wild and unpredictable she was, would have believed her.

"In that instant, Adam and Even knew as soon as the Fruit from the Tree hit their lips their fate was sealed. They disobeyed the Lord. They now knew what was right and wrong but they were far from being like God as Lilith so promised them.

"He flew from his throne in anger and rage that I had never witnessed before. Calling them out in their disobedience He banished them from the Garden. Guarded forever by flaming swords, Adam and Eve were never to return.

"I watched as hardship after hardship plagued them. How could he do this to them? His beloved creation, He just threw them out and watched them cry out to Him for forgiveness and help. And yet God did nothing.

He sat again on his throne and got that look, that look I knew so well. It was boredom. His human's could no longer capture his interest any more. You cannot create and just let it go. There had to be some sort of responsibility for what you create.

'What are you doing?' I yelled at Him. 'You can't just leave them to move on to something else because You have found them flawed.'

'I can and I will Lucifer. You will not tell me what I can and cannot do. You are an insubordinate. Emanuel would never think of going against me.'

'But they need you. And it's not just Adam and Eve any more. There are now two more that are their offspring. Do you not hear them calling for you. It's maddening to listen to.'

'Do you think you could do better Lucifer?'

'Yes,' I shot off. 'If this is such a game, then I challenge You.'

'Oh, really? Name your terms Lucifer.'

"Let's see which one of us can take care of them better. Because I believe that I can do a much better job and I won't get bored, that I can promise you. And in the mean time You cannot create another thing.'

'Fine. Let the games begin. Dominion of the Earth and it inhabitants are yours for a set period of time. The date has yet to be determined. That I will have to think on as I do have the foresight to know that humans will concoct a system of keeping time. So I will select the perfect time and place to end this game. Heaven will no longer be your place of dwelling. Go, take who you must in order to help you out and inhibit the earth.'

'One more thing my Lord, let all creation above and below have the same free will that you instill in all human beings.'

'Granted,' He whispered.

I looked towards Emanuel, as I was about to take my leave. I had no fear or doubt as to what I was doing. I had complete and utter confidence in my actions.

'Oh, no Lucifer, Emanuel is not yours for the taking and neither are the Seraphim. Everyone else is fair game if you can get them to see things your way then you can take them.'

'I do believe there are a few I can sway to see things my way.'

I had a fourth of Heaven at my side. The miracles and wonders of this world do not solely lie with only God. Some of which I can also lay claim to as well. I will not persuade this world to love me, as they are not my creation. I care for them deeply. I encourage them to be themselves and to look to themselves for answers. I watch as this world constantly cries out for Him. Religion and religious wars are not my doing either. That He can have.

"So, there you have it, my dear Bella. This whole thing, life, is just a game. That's all it is. That's all it ever was to Him. I'm not bad. I am not evil. I am not here to destroy humanity. I do have my partners in this game as well. They are not demons as you so thought that I was. Demons do exist. They are their own free agents so to speak. Legion, I do believe that you have heard of him. Threw himself into some pigs that threw themselves off a cliff. He would be the leader of demons."

I watched as Lucifer shrugged at his explanation.

"Demons are playing their own game and they follow neither Him nor me. They care not for the human race. They are allowed at the moment and in time will be dealt with accordingly.

"Do you have any questions, Bella? Because in all honesty and in absolute truthfulness, I will tell you whatever it is that you want to know. There is no holding back with me."

To be honest, I was a bit confused. I was at a complete loss of words. Everything that I thought I knew was for the most part just a game. I was passionate and serious about what I did and the charges I took on. I loved humanity. So much so that I wanted part of it and soon I was going to insert myself fully as a willing pawn in this game. What was done could not be undone. But I wouldn't change a thing. My chance at love with Edward was taken away. It would have ended anyway either in death or in immortality. It mattered not as he didn't like his roll in immortality and I solely take responsibility for that.

"Why these half truths and allowing these stories concocted by man?"

"Have you not been listening? This is all a game. Games have a beginning and an ending." He walked over to me leaving his comfortable stance against the wall. He took little Mary Alice's hand in his and immediately she grasped his index finger.

"And when does this one end? Or is that something that you cannot divulge?"

"Ah," Lucifer laughed. " I knew that was coming. That I really can't divulge to you. But I can tell you, as you are most likely going to forget it once your human, is that there will be a big shake up on December 21, 2012. Originally, it was all suppose to end on that date but God upped the stakes. And well, I am a betting man…or creature per se. How could I say no?"

"The Mayan Calendar?" I seriously questioned. "But that's just the end of their calendar cycle, right?"

"Yes, it's the end of the cycle. But things are already building up to take place on that given date. Disasters and death alike will plague the world. God thought that it was an ingenious idea to use this given point in time to end His game but since the discovery of the calendar, thanks in part to me, a good portion of the world in the near future will believe it's going to end on that date. But no man knows the hour of earth's existence except for God and myself. Even Emanuel does not know. He played his part and played it well and therefore will be greatly rewarded for it."

"And what of you? What do you get when this is all over?"

"He knows what I want. He will never relinquish it, ever. And no, it's not His throne. I want humanity. I don't want to be human but I want his creation. I guess you could say that I have always wanted it. I would restore things back to the way they were. Disease and sickness would not exist. The evils of this world that everyone loves to place on my shoulders would be gone. I would grant forgiveness and tear down the flaming swords that still guard Eden to this day. I would give humanity back what they so long for, peace and a love that they have never known."

"And of this date," I just had to know and hoped that he would appease my searing curiosity. "You have stated that death is inevitable for some. But of me, will I die on that date because surely I will be around for this."

"No, death will come to you but I can tell you with absolute truth, you will be around after December 21, 2012. So will be your family, your husband and child."

So, I will find love. Just not with Edward. In away this revelation brightened my confused and hurt spirit.

"I'm not telling this to you, Bella, so that you will be angry with Him. I don't want that. But I thought it was in your best interest to know. I think all those, like little Mary Alice here, who choose to come to this life of humanity with their own free will, have the right to know. You are not the first to hear my side of things and you won't be the last."

"So, I was right. She was an angel. Does Mary Alice not have a soul as well?" The stories abound were true in that regard at least.

"Yes, She has a soul. What He chooses to place upon His pawns is different each time. Mary Alice just wanted humanity but you, your price tag was bigger. You had love attached to you. Not only did you love humanity but also you fell in love with one. To Him that's a huge price and a big difference on how He plays His game.

"I know your future," Lucifer reached out to caress my cheek. "But I can't tell you anymore than I already have. Her life," He looked down at the smiling child. "Her life will be vastly different from yours. But each of you will be blessed in time. I will see to that. Just like Rosalie. She did find love you know, in the strangest of places too. You never know when love's going to find you. Keep your heart open; Bella, and when you do find it, fall hard because it's not worth it if you don't give it all you've got."

"I'll try to remember that," I really would try. But it was probably futile to do so as memories of my angelic life will be wiped clean. "But Rosalie found love, huh? What of Edward? Can you tell me?"

"Rosalie found Emmett being mauled to death by a giant grisly bear. She carried him over one hundred miles and begged the doctor to change him. And for her, he did. That doctor wanted her happiness above anything. Now Edward on the other hand not so much. He's not enjoying his life as an immortal. In fact, before Rosalie came into their family, he ventured out on his own for a decade or so. He dabbled in the taste of human blood for a while. Although, I do have to say, he was rather clever about it. He chose humans with very unsavory lives. Murders, rapists, child molesters, anything that's deemed evil were amongst his pallet. But eventually he grew tired of that and returned back to the doctor. And as for love in his future, yes, he will find it eventually. But no more talk of him."

He turned around and headed for the doors. I had a hundred million questions that I still needed to ask him. "You have a job to do, Bella. It will do you no good to dwell on Edward any more. And as for your questions, I know you have them, I'll be around in time to answer them for you. But for now you have all you need to know."

"Please grant me this," I begged as the question would eat at me if I didn't ask. "You said you had ruled and had dominion over this planet. If it wasn't humans, what did you rule?"

He looked at me with a sly smile. "You know, no one has ever asked me that. Dinosaurs were my creation. Brilliant, yes?"

I watched Lucifer disappear as if he never existed. I didn't know what to think. If an angel could get dizzy, I think I just did. In some regards I was saddened to learn the things I now know and in other ways I was happy…exceedingly happy. I would some day find love and have a family. Rosalie finally found some happiness in someone called Emmett. And he had to be pretty special if he captured Rosalie's heart. I was even grateful that Edward would finally find love as well. I hoped that it will give him peace of mind and that he would enjoy his life as an immortal. And then there was little Mary Alice. I knew that she was going to have it rough growing up. But I was glad that she would be blessed and happiness will find her one-day also.

I looked down at the tiny squirming figure. "Whoa, Miss. Mary Alice. What did you think of that?" Her only reply was a genuine smile. "Well, you and I get to go home tomorrow."

I could hear her parents arguing about her in a hospital room down the hall. Unplanned, unloved and unwanted, this was the life she was about to enter and one she could do nothing about. An innocent that was going to get hurt in the process and all I could do was to be there for her to soften the blow. I just hope that it will be enough.

"Dinosaurs, huh, who knew," I settled in, taking the child's hand in mine and lulling her to sleep singing a lullaby that I heard countless of mothers sing to their children. It was a favorite of mine and worked well on Rosalie when she was younger. I smiled as I gazed at the sleeping child. Looks like it worked with Mary Alice as well.

…..

A/N: I just want to thank everyone who is reading this, added this fan fic to their faves and who have reviewed this story. It means a lot to me. You all are amazing! Up next The Future of Mary Alice Brandon.


	4. The future of Mary Alice Brandon

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Twilight Saga. The sole ownership belongs to S. Meyer. Copyright infringement is not intended.

Warning: This chapter deals with domestic violence, sexual assault and abuse. Not to mention I dropped the F-bomb a few times as well as other obscenities and sexual references. So if this bothers please don't read. With not really knowing much about Alice's human life I felt like I could take a lot of liberties writing this chapter. As she explains it, her life before she was a vampire was complete darkness. And as easy as that may sound it was a whole lot harder to write. I wanted her life to be tough so hopefully it comes across that way if I did my job right. Also this is the last chapter with Bella as an angel and we also meet one of the more sinister and sleazy characters in Twilight as well. I also want to point out that the grammar in this chapter is intentional.

Play List: Pictures of You (The Cure), Happiness (The Fray), Look After You (The Fray)

~0~

The Future of Mary Alice Brandon

Life for my charge couldn't get much crueler. Days and nights would go by as I listened to Mary Alice's cries. She'd cry for that much needed change that sometimes would take hours for her mother to respond and she'd cry to be fed and some day's food just wasn't available in the house. But mostly Mary Alice would cry just to be held, to be loved. Since her mother couldn't provide that, I did.

What a contrasting difference between Rosalie and Mary Alice. One grew up with wealth, privilege and very much loved and the other would grow up in want. Another stark difference between the two was that Alice loved to be held, touched and played with while Rosalie was more of a free spirit in that regard. She loved to be fawned and fussed over as a child but by the Grace of God she hated to be held.

It was another one of those nights that Mary Alice's parents stayed up until the wee hours of the morning fighting and arguing about what they did not have. Never once did they ever sit down and try to figure out a solution that might actually alleviate some of their problems.

This drove Mary Alice's father to spend money that they would have had other wise spent on food. He chose to spend it on alcohol instead. He would spend hour after hour down at the local bar just trying to drown his sorrows. He thought often of the time he spent before meeting her mother. If only he had not gotten Mary Alice's mother pregnant there wouldn't have been a shotgun wedding to save her honor and he would have been a free man. Instead, he was a married to a woman that he didn't love, a father of five rambunctious, whining children all less than seven years and he was aged well beyond his years.

I carefully picked Mary Alice up from out of the top dress drawer that served as her resting place night after night because they could not afford a crib or bassinet. Swooshing side to side, I rock the tiny child in my arms and listen to the fight brewing down stairs.

"Oh, it's two o'clock in the morning and Henry finally decides to stroll in the door." The child's mother said sarcastically.

"I'd shut that hole on your face, Estelle, right now or I'll shut it for you." He swaggered through the front door and plopped down on the ratty worn sofa in the parlor.

"So," Estelle began. "How much did you spend this time down at Ray's Pub?"

"Never you mind, bitch." Henry's words slurred.

"Never I mind! Never I mind! It's been three days since your children last ate something besides rotten cabbage soup. I'm not even lactating anymore, so I can't even feed Alice." She bent over the couch that Henry was sitting on getting right in his face.

Arguments like these never ended well for Estelle.

"I said shut your damn face, woman!" He flew from the sofa pushing Estelle into the wall on the far side of the parlor. "Keep it up and I'll make sure that I rearrange that damn ugly face of yours so that no man will ever want you when I leave your sorry, saggy ass someday."

I could distinctly hear the sound of the back of his hand hitting against the soft tender flesh of Estelle's face. Mary Alice's mother slide to the floor whimpering as Henry now towered over her. He kicked her bruised legs a few times adding more injury to what was already there.

"You listen here and you listen good, woman! I decide you got that? I decide when and where my hard earned money goes to. And if I want to pour that damn money into Rays, well, that's just what I will do. I don't need trash talk from an overly used woman who can't even get my dick to stand up any more. Hell, are you sure that that child up stairs is mine? I can't even tell you the last time I was anywhere aroused by the sight of your naked ass."

Just like clockwork, Mary Alice's older brother, Jeremiah, came rushing to the top of the stairs. Like always he was visible shaken by the sight of his fighting parents.

"Momma, you okay, momma?" He asked meekly.

Estelle continued to glare at her husband.

"Woman, you better tell that boy to get his lousy little ass to bed or I'll do it for him. And he won't like it when this here belt woops his behind." Henry said tugging on his belt buckle.

"Yes, Jeremiah, just go back to sleep. Daddy and I are just discussing a few things that's all." The boy turned regretfully and headed back to bed hiding under the covers as if to be spared from what's to come.

"There are you happy now, Henry, you're waking the children."

"There wouldn't be any children to wake up if you had left you mouth shut like I asked you to in the first place."

I quickly and quietly placed a sleeping Mary Alice back into the open drawer. Henry was dragging his whimpering wife up stairs. As I couldn't leave the child, I turned my back on the display that unfolded before me.

I could hear Estelle forcibly being thrown to the bed. The tearing of old worn out clothes followed next.

"Awe, shit, Estelle. Would you look at those? The damn things are almost hanging to your Goddamn knees. How the hell am I suppose to fuck something that looks like that? You used to be so damn pretty. Now look at you, you saggy sorry bitch of a woman. Shit, you ain't even a whole woman any more. Hell, I suppose I'll just fuck you anyway. I guess you'll do."

I could hear Henry release his belt buckle and have his abusive way with Estelle. With ever thrust that he pounded into her he called her every ungodly and unsavory name in the history of mankind. And Estelle would take it. She had to. What little bit that Henry gave, it was the only piece of security that Estelle had.

I prayed long and hard that Mary Alice would one day find a love so great and that man would love her with all his being, that he would rather die then to see her have one second of unhappiness. A man that would wrap his arms around her night after night, professing his undying love for her. Whispering those sweet nothings in her ear making her giggle. A love that has romance and passion, a love that is never ending, a love that is forever. Eternal.

Nobody should have to go through life like this. Not even Estelle Brandon.

~0~

Nine months later one and a half year old Mary Alice was moved into the bed with her older sister, Sophia Marie, to make room for her new baby brother Jonathan.

The fighting continued and in fact got progressively worse with the arrival of another child. But I took comfort that Mary Alice didn't have to be in the same room with them anymore. She still took comfort in my arms night after night and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I told her stories of angels and Heaven and Mary Alice would listen intently. I didn't think it was wrong to do so as she would eventually forget what was told to her.

Her first word was angel and I beamed at her like a proud parent when the word flawlessly flowed from her lips. That should have been my first indication that Mary Alice was going to be quite different compared to normal children her age.

My bonding only grew with the child over the years. In fact those few times that Estelle did try to offer her young daughter some comfort, Mary Alice would turn away telling her distraught mother that she only wanted her angel. Her mother passed it off as her daughter was obviously having grand flights of fantasy.

She would regale the family with tales about what we did, where we walked, the pretty daisies she collected with me. Thank Heaven above that I got passed up as an imaginary friend.

By the time Mary Alice was seven, I knew that this was going to become a problem. I had every intent in the world on talk to her about this. But I felt differently towards this child. It felt as if she were my own in a way.

We sat down in the field of daisies like we did every afternoon in the summer.

"You know, you are going to start school this fall with your brothers and sisters this year. Are you excited?" I strung together a chain of daisies making a crown for her.

"No, not really," Shaking her head and looking quite said. "I like being here with you."

"I'll always be here with you. You're stuck in my heart." She laughed every time I said that to her as if she could literally be stuck there. "Oh, you know what I mean, silly girl."

"Yes, I think I do. You mean to say that you love me." Mary Alice looked up at me with those deep blue eyes.

"I love you very much." I just wish I could have shielded her from cruel side of life.

"You're the only one who loves me." I wanted to tell her that it wasn't true but it was. Sometimes her mother had spouts of trying to care for her children. But most of the time she could really careless. They were only extra hands to help with the mounting chores around the house

I was very hesitant to bring it up but I knew that I could not keep Mary Alice like I wanted to. I needed to prepare her for the fact that she would soon come forget me. Or maybe I was more or less preparing myself for the simple fact that she wouldn't remember me anymore.

Usually, I'm not sad about this act as this is the normal process and supposed to happen. But this time I was sad indeed. I cursed myself for getting so caught up in this little pixie of a child. But how could I not?

"Mary Alice," I began sadly. "Come this time next year, you will probably forget that I ever existed. It's normal. All children go through this similar thing. I don't want you to worry because I won't be hurt when you do."

Truth be told, I would be this time. I could feel my heart breaking already. I felt more human than angel with Mary Alice.

Before another thought could enter my brain, she flung herself at me. Her little arms wrapped tightly around my neck. She cried, "I'll never forget you. I promise."

And some how inside I knew that she never would.

~0~

The night before school started Mary Alice told her nightly tales of what the two of us did this afternoon. It was a dinnertime ritual with her but this time it did not go over well with her father.

"Estelle, you better tell her that fairytales like these are not real and she better wise up for school. Talk like that will take you straight to the loony bin. Trust me. Same thing happened to your great auntie Sarah." Henry dug into his mashed potatoes not even paying attention to his devastated daughter. "She talked liked that, saying she could see people who weren't there and knowing things that she couldn't possible know other wise. Woman clearly had the devil inside her that's for sure. Same thing's gonna happen to you if you don't cut that stupid shit out." He pointed his fork at her. "Mark my words."

"Henry!" Estelle shouted at him. "She just a little girl." Her mother could have chosen to use this time to comfort the child but she walked away as if Mary Alice wasn't even in the room.

I was concerned for her. Despite the harsh words he sent sailing straight to his daughter, Henry was right. That kind of talk doesn't bode well for a child, especially when children are forced to grow up faster than they're supposed to.

~0~

By the time Mary Alice was sixteen her tendency towards the unknown seemed to grow exponentially. Like her Aunt Sarah, she just knew things. It never bothered me, as I knew that this was a byproduct of her life as an angel. But it made her father livid and her mother turned a blind eye. She made no secret to hide what she knew. Mary Alice told her mother on several occasions that Henry was having lurid and torrid affairs with women of an unsavory nature. Not only was he still spending hard earned family money down at Ray's, he was beginning to gamble it away as well.

Estelle kept it to herself as to where she procured that knowledge but Henry knew. And despite the repeated beatings she suffered at the hands of her father, Mary Alice never wavered from what she knew was absolute truth.

It wasn't until they exited church one Sunday that Mary Alice looked at her mother in an odd fashion. She immediately went pale as if from sickness and stopped in her tracks in the middle of the churchyard.

I whispered her name in her ear hoping to speed her along. She batted me away as if I was an annoying bug buzzing about her. Mary Alice was beginning to draw attention from a few church patrons. Everyone speculated that she was an odd child of sorts but no one knew for sure and her parents for the most part kept her secret. That secret would leak out at times when Henry was flat out drunk. But whether he was to be believed or not would remain to be seen…until now.

People milled about her asking if she was all right and like me, she waved them off. Embarrassment crept over the faces of her parents.

"She's not feeling herself, today." Estelle tried to laugh it off as she tightly grabbed hold of her daughters arm.

"No momma," Mary Alice refused to budge. I could only watch as I was bared from interfering. Everyone in this small town circled about the oddity standing in the middle of the churchyard. Desperately, I tried calling her name and encouraging her to move on but she continued to ignore me as well as her family. "I know something and if I don't say it now, it will kill me, I swear!"

"This is neither the time or the place for this, Mary Alice!" Her mother yelled.

"Girl, if you don't get a movin' you can take on you brother and sister's chores for an entire month. Do you hear me?" Henry looked around frantically at the bystanders staring at his daughter.

But she remained despite everyone's protests. "I know that in three days Jeremiah will fall from the tree, break his neck and he will die."

The town's folk gasped in shock at her accusations, whispering to each other that they had always known that little Mary Alice Brandon was crazy.

In a fiery fury Henry picked up Mary Alice and threw her over his shoulder. "Show's over people." He placed Mary Alice in the back of the truck bed with the rest of the children. Not a word was said as they drove back in silence.

She was ushered to her bedroom where she was told to stay for the rest of the day. Her parents thought her actions this afternoon cost her and she was sent to bed without supper. Mary Alice wept quietly as she lay on her stomach across the bed she shared with her sister.

"Why don't they ever believe me?"

"Because, Mary Alice, people don't want to believe in things that they cannot see. The unknown scares them." I caressed her long dark hair. "This world is filled with things that most people will never believe in. Things that are myths and legends, some of those things are real."

She propped herself up on her elbows. "Are fairies real?"

"Yes," I giggled. "But you have to know where to look for them. They're fast."

"But how would I know where to look for them?"

"They're there. You already have an open mind, you just have to be ready to see them before they show themselves to you."

"Do you think I am crazy?" She sat up all the way leaning against the headboard

"No," I leaned back with her on the bed and sighed. "I don't. Just because I don't see what you can, doesn't mean it isn't real. Like I told you, people tend to believe only what they can see or what they have been taught."

"People believe in God and they can't see Him."

"There are those who have extreme faith in Him, live by Him and for Him exclusively but most follow out of tradition." She watched me with rapt attention so I continued. "Like for instance, your parents, their parents went to church and their parents and so on. Church is a Sunday tradition for most and you will likely continue in this fashion with your family as well."

We talked a little while longer about God, traditions and even fairies until she closed her eyes, relaxed more and her breathing evened out.

I listened to her parents in the parlor talking quietly about Mary Alice's performance this afternoon. And this time, unlike most, they just talked.

"What are we going to do, Henry?" Estelle asked.

I don't know, Estelle, I just don't know." I could hear Mary Alice's father frantically pacing back and forth.

"She can't continue this way any more. I swear, I thought that this was something that she would just grow out of, but it seems to be getting worse with time."

"There is that place up in Monroe." Henry quietly suggested.

"No, good Lord, Henry," Estelle gasped and I could hear her hand slap against her mouth. "That place is a God forsaken whole in the wall for hospital. I can't allow her to go there."

"It's the closest damn facility, Estelle. And 'sides, it's state run. I'm not driving all over the Goddamned state of Mississippi looking for a place that may or may not take her based on the money I make. I can't afford nothin' private and you know that. We just ain't got that kind of money for that and she needs help, help that we just can't give her. That place up in Monroe will see her without a doubt." Henry almost, almost sounded sincere.

"But that's where they placed your Aunt Sarah and she ain't never got out." Estelle whispered.

"Yeah, died young too, but that Mary Alice is on her way to becoming every bit as crazy as she was. I just can't do it anymore Estelle. I just can't take all that shit that spews from her mouth. It ain't right and you know it, woman."

"Then I'll make the call Monday morning." Estelle sighed in either defeat or relief that soon their daughter will be in the hands of the state.

"See if you can get them to take her Saturday afternoon. I can't be taking time off work for this."

I looked down at the sleeping girl beside me. She had no idea of what lay in store for her come this weekend.

~0~

True to his word, Henry made Mary Alice take on the chores of rest of the family. The poor kid worked from sun up to sun down. She barely had time to sit and eat supper before her father ushered her off to clean and scrub down the kitchen for the night. Mary Alice was climbing into bed long after her sister fell blissfully asleep. She was so exhausted that our nightly chats were reduced to her telling me goodnight.

Despite the work that she was doing around the house, I knew the premonition of her brother's death still plagued her. Mary Alice was a nervous wreck by the time Wednesday rolled around but dared not to say anything under her mother's watchful eye.

She was out pumping water from the well when the teasing of her siblings began.

"You know, Alice, if you hadn't run your mouth Sunday you could have joined us down by the river for swim." Jeremiah said running past her.

She was ready to say something back but immediately caught her mother's deadly glare.

"Bring that bucket of water here, girl. These beans can't grow themselves without it." Her mother yelled as she threw vegetables in a basket.

It wasn't even an hour later when Mary Alice's younger brother Jonathan came running back.

"Momma, momma!" The child ran up to his mother out of breath and pulling on her hand. "You have to come now! Jeremiah fell out of the tree by the river and now he's not moving."

I followed the three of them down to the river where Jeremiah lay. I saw his angel standing at the foot of his head. He gave me a slow nod of acknowledgement before he disappeared.

Her mother picked up the boy and cradled him in her arms. She sobbed and cried over and over again, "My baby. My baby."

When she finally calmed enough to find words, Estelle turned to Mary Alice. "Go ring up Dr. Gerard and go down to Rays and drag your father home."

After ringing the doctor I followed my charge down to the local pub to get her father. She gathered up her courage to whisper in her drunken father's ear that he was needed at home and that there has been an accident.

After the doctor declared her oldest brother dead, Henry looked Mary Alice in the eye and without even a second thought pointed a finger at her, "This is all your fault. That boy would have never had died if you didn't curse this family! You have the devil in you, girl. I will not have this anymore in my house!"

He ushered his young daughter out of the house and into the back of the truck. Henry turned to his eldest daughter, "Tell your mother that I will be back in the morning."

Like a thief in the night, Henry took off down the road and headed for Monroe. She was being lead like a lamb to the slaughter whether she knew it or not. I pleaded with God to help Henry have a change of heart. I was only met with the silence.

Did he know what he was doing? What his flesh and blood would have to endure? It was nothing short of torture, the rounds of shock treatments, lobotomies, experiments in medication, the solitary isolation, and the unsanitary conditions. It was inhumane.

My plea went unheard. Maybe Lucifer was right and that this was nothing more than a game to Him.

Mary Alice's father reached Monroe by the wee hours of the morning and dragged his protesting daughter into the sanitarium.

Quietly he signed his youngest daughter into the asylum. She turned to run but was quickly met by a huge man who blocked the door. Her father left without a word just as an older gentleman was called down to fix Mary Alice into a straight jacket. This was officially out of my hands. Mary Alice pleaded with me out loud for me to help but I could do nothing. She was instantly ushered into isolation. The padded room was dark but to my eyes I could see the vermin that crawled along the edges of the room.

I told her that I was sorry but I was only met with screams as the bugs and insects in the room took an interest in her. This was disgusting. No human should have to lay in filth like this. What was the point of me even being here if I could not help those that I was in charge of. It was enough to drive an angel insane. Maybe I belonged with Mary Alice in this room. Where was my straight jacket? Nothing was working out like I had wanted it too.

I listened for hours, as Mary Alice did nothing but scream until she lost her voice completely. Nobody came by to see if she was okay. She had to be starving but she had given up. She lay limply in the filth of the room as the vermin crawled on her and around her.

It was evening before somebody came to check on Mary Alice. I shouted at the doctor who came in that she was not okay but it did little good as nobody ever heard me. It was then that I realized that the doctor that came in reminded me of the Good Doctor in Chicago. I searched out his nametag, Doctor Roberts. His golden eyes met Mary Alice's flat deep blue ones. He was an immortal.

I would not do this again. I will not encourage another into this life. Two people that I held dear, I forced into the life of a vampire, not this time. I will do everything in my power to make sure that Mary Alice does not get caught up in this life. Rosalie was not happy with her new life as a vampire and her only saving grace was the fact that she had somebody to share it with now. Edward was alone as a vampire, at least to my knowledge he still was and he utterly despised this immortal world.

Had I known the mess I would create in my wake, I would have never had done it.

The doctor was gentle with Mary Alice as he helped her sit up. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver pair of scissors. "Mary Alice, dear, I am going to have to cut your hair. It's hospital protocol."

She never said a word. Her beautiful eyes were lifeless. For all intents and purposes she was dead, betrayed by those who were supposed to love her. It broke my heart to pieces to see her like this. I would not and I could not do this again. I flat out refuse to be a charge over someone ever again.

I watched sweet Mary Alice's hair flutter to the floor of the padded cell. Her beautiful long dark hair was now cut blunt short. How many nights over the years did I run my hands through her hair, comforting the child and now I could do nothing of the sort?

My head shot up a millisecond before the doctor's. There was another immortal roaming the hospital. This could not be good. A place like this was a buffet for a vampire. You could kill and nobody would ever know. Death was almost expected to come to you in these types of facilities. I found it hard to believe that they actually wanted you to get better. The patients that were checked into these hospitals had no idea as to what they were really in store for, insane medical treatments that were funded by the government.

I was growing more and more cynical by the day. I no longer wanted to stay an angel and I regretted my decision to become human.

"James, I told you to wait in my office." The doctor said nonchalantly.

"But she smells so good, so delicious, delectable." I could hear him lick his lips in anticipation of what he thought he was about to feed on.

"Not this one."

He walked into the cell. James was tall around six foot one with dirty, scraggily blond hair tied into a low messy ponytail. He was dressed like the doctor so he passed as an associate without so much as a second glance from other employees. I had run into my fair share of vampires over the thousands of years and most if not all were beautiful beyond words but James reminded me of somebody that you found in a seedy bar. He looked every bit the murder that he was created to be.

James cocked his head at an odd angle and seemed to look directly at me. "She was made for me, Roberts. Do you not smell her? That blood. I had never smelled anything like it before. She has to be mine. Please?"

Doctor Roberts ignored him for a moment before speaking up. "James, I would never begrudge your life style of choice. Choose another for the time being."

His eyes stayed locked on mine as if he could see me and by now I wasn't so sure that he couldn't. 'She's mine.' He mouthed. I watched his lips turn into a sinister smile.

"Leave us, James and go feed. I need to do some routine check ups on my patient."

James reluctantly left the cell in search of meal of lesser standards.

I couldn't have even predicted what the doctor had planned next. He deftly untied the straight jacket and gently shrugged it off her shoulders.

"Mary Alice, I am so sorry for what I am about to do. But I can't let James win any more. I can't let him have you." He picked up her wrist and studied it. "You are too precious, for him just to drain and throw away."

Bringing her wrist up to his nose, he breathed in Mary Alice's sweet scent. Lightly he brushed his lips over the inside of her tiny delicate arm. Again and with no avail my attempts to stop him failed. This wasn't supposed to happen to her. I wasn't going to let it but yet it was impossible to stop it. Suddenly his razor sharp teeth sank into the translucent skin. Mary Alice winced in pain for the moment as the venom entered the blood stream.

"What?" James said snidely as he returned fresh from his recent feed. Blood still lingered on his bottom lip. "Look at what we have here. Selfish aren't we? Couldn't wait for me to leave so you could have her all to your self, huh?" He sauntered in closer to the doctor.

"James, it wasn't like that. This one is special. She has gifts. I can feel it." He deftly laid Mary Alice down on the padding.

"She had gifts alright. Her blood was a fucking gift." James snapped. In a blur his hand shot out and grabbed the doctor by the neck. He shoved him hard against the padded wall breaking it. The padding split open leaving the fibers on the floor.

"Shhh…she'll be one of us now. Think of the possibilities." The doctor stuttered.

"Her blood is nothing to me. It's tainted with your venom. She's not worth the kill now." He grasped the doctor's neck tighter. I could hear the subtle cracking of marble as his tough flesh began to give way. "Say, Roberts, how 'bout you join me in your cozy office? We'll get a fire roaring in that nice fireplace of yours. Do you think that they'll miss you? Doubt that they'll miss her." He nodded his head in Mary Alice's direction. "In fact I would be hard pressed to guess that the Volturi might get involved with this one. I mean how would one explain that an asylum of this size and magnitude that holds over a thousand people, everyone is dead, dying or simply turn by accident. You would have some serious explaining to do my old friend. But alas, I'm feeling quite generous this evening; I'll take of this little mess for you. She's not going anywhere for now."

James dragged the doctor off leaving Mary Alice behind. "Do you think that Victoria will like the new addition to our coven?" James trailed off.

I had to do something. She couldn't change here and I couldn't let her fall into the hands of James. I was powerless to stop her from being changed would I be powerless to move her? Would God block this from me? With ease I picked her up and draped her arm around my shoulder. "Come on Mary Alice, walk with me."

Thank the Good Lord in Heaven that the security in this wretched hospital was not tight. We easily made our way out of the hospital without so much as a glance in our direction. Everyone seemed extraordinarily busy. Not to mention that the only doctor on call this evening was becoming fuel for a seasonably unnecessary fire. As soon as we were in the clear I picked up Mary Alice and ran to the woods that surrounded the asylum. Hopefully, with me being of the angelic kind, James wouldn't be able to track our scent. He may not have known who was there but I was undoubtedly sure he knew that somebody of the unseen variety was lingering about.

I paid little attention to how long I actually ran with her. I had to find some place quick to let her rest. Jostling her around can't possibly help as she burned through the transformation. I was vaguely aware that Legacy followed close behind. I could let him stop me now.

Finally after hours of running, I came across an old abandoned hunting cabin. I laid her gently down on a worn mattress inside. The accommodations were slightly better than her padded cell but it would have to do. Mary Alice was far enough away from human that she wouldn't smell them upon awakening and the cabin no longer held any trace of human scent as well.

I sat beside her and deftly stroked her new short bobbed hair.

"Bella," Legacy rested a hand on my shoulder. "Come on. We have to go, it's time."

"I can't." I protested. "She's alone. It's not like the others; they had somewhere to turn when they were changing. She's going to do this by herself."

"Your time is over."

"I'm not leaving, Legacy."

"You can't undermine the Elders, Bella. They make the rules."

I shook my head in defiance.

"Bella, this isn't about you anymore. When she wakes, that child will no longer see you or hear you and all she's going to want is blood. She will be feral. You will have no way to control her. The Elders will not let you get anymore involved than you already are."

"That vampire James knew I was there. I can't let him come and find her. He'll kill her."

"You were imagining things, Bella. Vampires cannot see us. This is not up to you anymore. It's over. And if this James does find her, then maybe he'll help her transition."

I was pretty sure that this one could see me or sense that I was there. But I was not up for one of our famous arguments today.

"Lets go. You need isolation before your next assignment."

"No," I protested again. "No more assignments. I'm done. Done! What good am I if I cannot help those I'm in charge over? This is a game to Him and nothing more. He may not care for His creation but I do!"

"Bella, there is nothing we can do any more. It's time to go. The Elders are getting angry."

The room swirled around in a haze and I was back on my mountain top retreat…alone. I was done with this life. As much as I regretted my decision, I wanted my human life. I wanted to forget what I now know and start over. I screamed with wild abandon as the wind and the snow picked up, surely causing an avalanche or two somewhere.

The whipping winds and the snow became a blinding white wall as I watched with keen interest. I was captivated and entranced by the light coming off this wall. I realized that it wasn't really a wall at all but a tunnel of the purest white light that I had ever seen. Like a moth to a flame, I was drawn to it as it lulled me in its embrace. Like arms reaching out to hug me, the light and the warmth were indescribable. Never have I felt such warmth as this. Soon forgetting who I was, why I was here or even where I was. I had no recollection of my former life. This was peaceful, pure bliss. I couldn't imagine wanting anything else and I was content to stay just how I was. Forever

This was absolute happiness. Home. My eternity.

A/N: A big, big thank you to everyone that read, faved and commented on the last chapter. It makes my day…really. The next chapter is already started and I hope to finish it soon.


	5. Waiting in the Wings

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. Copyright infringement is not intended.

AN: I just want to thank everyone who commented, faved or added this to their alerts.

Play List: Nothing Else Matters (Metallica), Sad But True (Metalica), Send Me An Angel (Scorpions),

~O~

Waiting In The Wings

Legacy's POV:

Meeting with Elders is never a good portent. This I had told Bella many, many years ago and meeting with Gabriel never bodes well at all really. Most Elders loved to meet in high places like mountaintops but Gabriel was quite different. He met you wherever you were and where ever you were most comfortable.

There comes a point where every angel meets with an Elder at some time in his or her career. Most of the time it's to become the charge of kings, dignitaries, and presidents, world famous or influential people that are to bring about change. But like my friend, Bella, the only time I was in the presence of Elders and Arc Angels was when the Son of the Lord was falsely charged, beaten, brought before the public only to be charged with crucifixion and nailed to his death.

But now my time had come. Gabriel and I met by a small river in an even smaller town of Forks, Washington. Just on the other side of the river was a large white house out of public view that was owned by vampire Dr. Carlisle Cullen. The house was empty of course as I would have been tempted to check up on young Edward to see how he faired.

As I thought about Bella, the last time I saw her, she was the charge of Mary Alice Brandon. Bella had gotten quite close to her and developed a friendship of sorts. Angels that are higher up quite frequently frown upon this act. And the last I heard was that my friend and confidant had been made to spend time in solitary isolation. This is quite different from most self-imposed isolations that we all go through after our charges pass away and come home again. Solitary isolation is a deprogramming of sorts. It's where an angel is made to forget; made to forget everything they had ever known.

It was a shame that Bella would never remember me when she came out. But it's a necessary action for those who know too much or who begin to think and feel too much on their own. Yes, it's a control tactic.

Solitary isolation is also used when an angel is getting ready to join the human race as well. A human can have no recollection of their former life as an angel. In that way it serves it's purpose appropriately.

I was never privy to the knowledge of when and where Bella would be set free to fall into a human life. I knew that the announcement was given as I delivered it to her myself that she was to meet with Uriel. But she never spoke to me of the date set by God Himself.

"Ah, Legacy," Gabriel breathed sending a whirlwind of leaves scattering about. "It's good to finally meet with you."

"It is good to meet with you too as well," I made leave to sit on a boulder by the river. "Although you are usually the harbinger of messages for those that are noteworthy importants so, why the visit with you?"

"Indeed I am," His voice caused ruckus waves in the water. "Let's go to a more secluded place up the mountain. I don't want to be out done by my brothers after all." The cadence of his laughter caused the wild waves to lap over on to the land.

Instantly we were standing in a beautiful meadow with purple, white and pink flowers. It seemed like a mythical place where God himself would come to be alone to think. I shall have to remember that this is here.

"Would you like to allude as to why the sudden change in location?" I tentatively asked.

"The Indian tribe here has a shaman named Harry Clearwater. It was time for his annual walkabout. The human would have heard us."

"Hmmm." I muttered as I planted myself amongst the foliage.

"I'll get to the point as to why I am here." Gabriel sat in the field next to me. "I know that it's not customary for you to be told who your next charge will be but the Holy Trinity thought that it was necessary for you to know in this case. You will be the charge over Bella this time."

The meadow was eerily quiet. The wind and the drizzling rain calmed down. Not even a bird chirped in the presence of an Arc.

"Bella?" Although I questioned it, her name brought a smile to my face.

"She's become an interesting factor in Our Lord's plan. Lucifer and Lilith both stand on the sidelines interjecting themselves into this plan."

Maybe Bella wasn't so far off the mark when she said that this was just a game, a strategic game at that. I should have listened a little better. Asked questions instead of just throwing it off as if it wasn't important. But this wasn't about me now this was about my friend.

I must have had a questioning look upon my face as Gabrielle laughed at my perplexity. "You will have to just watch and listen, my friend as this plan unfolds. Lucifer had a better chance with her as an angel. She was much easier for him to access then. But now she will be on Lilith's turf. Both want her as their adversary. There are also others who stand in the wings wanting her, but they have yet to gain knowledge of dear Bella. They will want her just the same. It will be interesting indeed." His breathy laughter swirled around loosening the dried leaves from the trees.

"Indeed it would be. But why Lilith?"

"It seems that your friend has this propensity towards immortals. I don't really think that this requires explaining, does it Legacy?"

"No, it does not."

"Lilith has been quiet for thousands of years and sees Bella as her chance to rise in the name of immortality."

I shook my head at this notion. "But what of the others that also want her?" I couldn't help but wonder if Bella would have chosen this human life if she would have know just what sort of trouble lay for her on the horizon.

But somewhere out there in this world her mother waited just on the cusp of birth and I was going to be part of this. Although curiosity would have gotten the better of me, I would have had to at some point in Bella's life checked up on her. I was beyond ecstatic to be sharing life with her.

"I know you have questions, Legacy, I am following as I was instructed and only time will provide the answers you seek. Watch as it plays out."

A whirlwind scattered dry lives and twigs in the air as Gabriel left me to ponder the mysterious information that I had been given. I was left sitting in this tranquil meadow thinking that I had found my own personal retreat when my charge over Bella was over. I was going to need it for sure. It saddened me in this moment and I'm sure that I will grieve harder at the end of her life. And after this stint at humanity is over, I will never see her again. It was her choice and she went into this head long knowing what she was in for.

In a rush of swirling trees, flowers, grass and sky, instantaneously I was in a small hospital watching a young man just barely in his twenties pace nervously in the waiting room.

An older woman in the room watched him with marked curiosity. She struck me as a woman who knew things beyond the norm and she made no show of it, but I was sure that she felt my presence in the tiny room.

I leaned against the pale gray blue wall by a vending machine full of human food, watching the scene unfold.

"Charles, please sit," The older woman patted the seat next to her with a wrinkled hand. "You are making me nervous."

The young man shook his head and continued to pace.

"You are going wear a hole in that carpet, child." The woman continued chatting. "She's going to be fine. Woman do this sort of thing every day, you know."

"That may be true, momma, but not Renee," Charles finally spoke. "Renee doesn't do this every day. Hell, I should be lucky to be at least getting this much out of her. She never wanted children anyway."

The woman pulled out some yarn and needles from a bag beside her feet. "This is going to be a good day, Charles. I can feel it. I pulled a few tarot cards this morning and I even asked my pendulum as well. And do you want to know what they said?"

The young man's head whipped up the instant that she stopped talking. "No," He began to whisper and look around the room as if others might hear their conversation. "You don't get to do this today. Not here. Not now. You keep that witchy stuff to your self."

"I'm proud of who I am, boy." His mother said quite angrily. "I don't care if the world knows that I am a witch. I am out of the broom closet as the sisters say in the coven."

Charles walked a way from her; the two of them shared equal bits of anger. "I don't want my child growing up in that kind of world, momma. I'm going to be its father and it's _our_ choice, Renee's and mine. We get to say how _our_ child will live its life."

"Goodness, Charles," His mother laughed. "The child that your wife is carrying is not an 'it'. The baby is either a boy or a girl."

"I know it's that simple as to whether this _child_ is a boy or a girl. I just don't know what _it_ is exactly."

The old woman shook her head and smiled in seemingly obvious disbelief as she continued to knit a soft pink and white blanket.

~0~

The birthing process never gets old. It was an awe-inspiring experience. Especially when the parents of that child love each other unconditionally. The doctor delicately passed the tiny baby girl to her mother and Charles leaned in closer to the child.

"Charlie," The baby's mother cooed happily with tears in her eyes. "She's so beautiful. Look at what we've done."

"I know, Renee, I know." The tone of his voice cracked with his own tears. "We still need to come up with a name for her."

At that instant the tiny infant let out a cry that had both her parents looking at each other astonished.

"That," Charlie laughed. "Sounded just like a bell. How about Bella?"

"I like it, but it needs something more. How about Isabella instead."

"Isabella," Charlie repeated in a low whisper as he held his daughter's hand. "It's perfect. She's perfect."

~0~

But all was not perfect. As Charlie's career in law enforcement took off Renee's world began to crumble. Depression settled in her heart. Even trying to brighten up the tiny house that Charlie was so proud to own didn't help the sinking feeling that the even smaller town of Forks was swallowing Renee whole. She cried during the day as she tended to Bella but hid her tears when Charlie came home.

And then one frigid cold day in January she finally snapped. She packed up what little clothes that Bella had and waited on Charlie's arrival.

She never gave him a chance to take off his coat, to unload the gun or hang up his holster. The words blurted out so fast it was hard for Charlie to keep up with his flighty wife.

"Charlie, I can't do this anymore. I just can't. This place, Charlie," She gestured with her hands. "This place…I…I shouldn't have gotten so attached. This was a mistake. Every thing we have is a mistake. We're so young and we're married with a baby. I can't tie myself down like this. I'm taking Bella and I am going to stay with my mother in New Mexico."

Charlie stood with his mouth open never finding the words to say anything back to his wife.

"I'll call you, Charlie when I get to my mom's and we'll work out an arrangement for Bella."

She picked up the infant car seat that held their precious daughter and never looked back to see the strangled look upon her husband's face.

Charlie watched as his not so perfect family walked out of his life.

Renee never saw the tears well up in his eyes. In fact she never batted an eyelash. She seemed carefree as she drove away from the town that once held her captive.

~0~

I really wished that Bella could have had the perfect life. But I knew deep down that no matter how this life played out, she could have cared less. To her a life without Edward was not really a life at all. I tried desperately to wrap myself around this, to understand it all but I couldn't. Why Bella even considered life as a human, I would never fathom.

Before my eyes and as the years passed, I watched Bella grow from an awkwardly balanced child to a beautiful but even more ungraceful gangly teenager. It was humorous in a sense that the girl could find herself tripping over air it's self. I watched many a child take to this balancing act only to grow out of it in their late teen years. But never Bella, she seemed to really have to pay attention whenever her feet touched the ground.

Her life was not an easy one, not by far. She took on things that no child should have to take on. Bella managed every morning to get her mother out of bed just so she could go to work. And what little money her mother did bring home, Bella took on the responsibility for looking after the finances. She cooked, cleaned and still she pulled off good grades in school.

She watched her mother go from one failed relationship to another. Bella vowed to herself that she would never love like this. She wasn't going to follow in her mother's footsteps. At one point Bella even stated that she didn't want love at all. But even I know that the human heart is a fickle one and changes constantly.

Eventually her mother finally settled down when she met and married a minor league baseball player named Phil Dwyer. I could tell that Renee was torn between wanting to go on the road with her new husband and staying home with her daughter. Bella could also see the stress that this put on the newly married couple and in an act of selflessness; she made the decision to move to Forks, Washington to live with her father.

And although Renee expressed overtly to Bella that she didn't have to go and that she didn't have to do this, Renee was thrilled inside and thought that it was time for Charlie to take over the parenting duties.

~0~

Bella was by far one of the most stubborn people I had ever come across, a trait that certainly rubbed off from her former self. But at the same time she was one of the easiest people to get along with also. Both Charlie and Bella were quiet and didn't mind it so much as they found it relatively comfortable. But in the night while the torrential rains whipped at the house, she let her emotions run free.

Even though I agree with Bella that time spent on earth was likely just a game, I should have known all along that God would give her exactly what she wanted. The second that Bella stepped onto the school premises, I knew that the Cullen's were amongst the teenaged populace. I smiled with glee as I walked beside her going from class to class. She had yet to run into any of them and I wondered if she would feel anything for Edward, Rosalie and Alice.

At lunch she finally spotted the family and Jessica a rather chatty girl was only too happy to fill her in on the strange and exciting family. Edward seemed to have a flair for reading the thoughts of others and picked up immediately that they were being discussed. It was sort of comical in a way knowing that Edward was frustrated beyond belief for not being able to read Bella's mind. Rosalie acted as if she could careless about the new student and Alice sat back with a smug smile on her face that no one seemed to notice.

They had definitely captured the interest of Bella as she turned in her chair every so often to catch a glimpse of the Cullen's. I waited for something to click between Edward and Bella but nothing happened of the sort. I've seen love at first sight happen thousands of time between lovers and soul mates. Edward's frustration grew by the second and he began to resent the girl for coming here. Maybe I was wrong in my assumption of her getting what she always had wanted.

I was definitely proved wrong. As his frustration with the inability to read Bella's mind grew so did his bloodlust. Her interest in him took the form of anger now as she realized and most likely felt the frustration and the animosity pour off him.

He never acted on that lust for her blood. Edward bolted from the room as the bell rang and soon left the school all together. Bella wanted to confront him about his strange behavior. But never got the chance as Edward didn't come back. She seemed to take some kind of relief in knowing that Edward was gone and at the same time wondered where he was and what he was doing.

I wish I could of told her but six days later for whatever the reason may be; Edward decided to come back to school. Despite the relief that she felt, Bella still looked for him on a daily basis and her heart sank when she didn't spy him in the cafeteria. But when she arrived for biology her heart sped up anxiously when she saw him sitting there at her lab table.

Interest was there for both parties. Edward's was a little bit more reserved than hers, feeling that he was a monster and frequently berated himself for falling for her. He considered several times on leaving her before things could escalate even farther. But it was on his nightly visits to her bedroom that he heard Bella tell him in her sleep that she wanted him to stay.

And stay he did. They were not like any normal couple as there was nothing ever normal about their relationship. I watched as she fell head over heels in love with him and she even considered becoming like him. Only Bella could go from an immortal angel to wanting to become human only to become an immortal again. I laughed at the irony of it all. Edward wholeheartedly disagreed with her becoming a vampire. He clearly made the choice for her that he was not going to change her. His intention were for her to live as normal of a life as possible. But Bella was relentless and down right stubborn with her persistence.

As ever with the world of immortality you run the risk of danger. Especially when the love of your existence becomes an interest to others of the same kind. Edward often joked that Bella was always in danger, a magnet for all things trouble.

My efforts were very much in vein as I tried desperately to stop her from falling victim to James. God would not allow me to interfere in this situation. James was indeed dangerous but his mate Victoria was much more devious and diabolical in her thoughts and actions and I wondered really who exactly was the real leader of their vampire coven.

I could only sit back and watch as my shouts fell on deaf ears as James lured Bella away under the false pretence of kidnapping her mother. There was no doubt in my mind that Bella would have been changed that night if Edward hadn't been as quick as he was.

If it had not been for the heroic efforts of Edward, Bella would have gotten her wish at immortality. With much effort on his part, Edward sucked the venom from her blood. I wanted to laugh but couldn't really find the humor in it to do so. Edward berated himself for becoming a monster and almost killing her once again. And again he pondered the thought of leaving her for her own good but he didn't know how.

~0~

As I watched her lying on the hospital bed, I tried to wrap my mind around the concept of love. The love that both her parents felt for her, the love that Cullen's had but most especially the love that both Edward and Bella had for each other. I cared for Bella immensely and although once she died and left this world, I would miss her greatly, I also knew that I would go on. But these different feelings of love I just didn't get. It was hard for me to see this. Maybe it all boiled down to the fact that I didn't want to become a human and therefore those kinds of feelings were just lost on me.

Edward watched over her with a protective vigil all the while cursing himself for exposing her to the monsters of this world. To Edward, Bella was too good and too pure to endure any of this. Halfheartedly, he tried to convince her to go back with her mother so he couldn't hurt her any more. But stubbornly Bella put up a fight telling Edward that he couldn't leave her.

For now he gave in to her demand to stay. But I knew from the pained look on his face whenever Bella wasn't looking at him that Edward still contemplated leaving and giving her a normal life. But what he didn't know, something that I could clearly see was that she had befriended a boy from the Indian tribe in La Push. The legends and the stories that they told were in fact true and some of the boys in the tribe had already begun to shape shift into wolves.

I had encountered a few shape shifters in my years. I'd never been the charge over one. They were in fact dangerous and very unpredictable to be around. They could shift on the fly when consumed with anger and rage and have been known to maim and kill innocent by standers.

It wouldn't matter if Edward left her for her own safety; Bella was destined to run with the legends and myths of this world. Gabriel had told me that other's waited in the wings holding some claim over her. Lucifer and Lilith clearly did. Edward would always be consumed with her. The tiny tribe in La Push already thought that her involvement in the vampire world was a threat and were just waiting for the Cullen's to mess up so that they could have a shot at destroying the one thing that they were born to do. But who else wanted her? Was she suddenly going to be captured by the Fairy Queen and grow wings? Or drown in the ocean and taken to the mermaid city of Atlantis, which is still governed by Neptune by the way. It sounded ridiculous as these thoughts floated through my head but they were indeed true. But mermaids and fairies were less dangerous than vampires and wolves. And then there were true werewolves but the governing force of the vampire world, theVolturi, has eradicated most of them.

I was told to sit back and watch as this all played out and that's all I could do. But the more I was left to ponder the more I became aware that, yes, this was indeed all just a game.

~O~

The day had finally come when Edward was pushed beyond his limits at keeping Bella safe. On her eighteenth birthday, Jasper, Edward's brother snapped. Bella had accidentally cut herself trying to open a birthday present. The scent of just a small amount of her blood was heavy and thick in the air. Seven pairs of eyes suddenly went from their normal golden honey color to pitch black. Jasper lunged to attack but Edward was quicker at receiving him. Unaware at his own strength in the moment, he meant to move Bella out of harms way but instead he ended throwing her behind him with great force. She crashed through the glass tabletop injuring her arm. The scent of fresh blood was added to the already potent scent that still lingered. Jasper was restrained and taken far from the house. Everyone had left apologetically except Edward and Carlisle.

I knew that in that moment that the decision to leave Bella for her own good had been made. This would no doubt devastate her beyond repair. The girl that vowed that she would never love had indeed fell hard for the one person that she had always wanted. But Edward was so sure that the next dangerous moment wouldn't be able to be stitched up or even land her in the hospital but could only lead to death itself.

I watched helpless as Edward lied to her. His heart shattered into a million pieces along with her own heart as the words left his lips. He whole-heartedly thought he was doing right by leaving her and professing that he never loved Bella. I knew that this was wrong. I wanted to jump between the two of them and shake them both for the big mistake that was about to be committed. Edward and Bella were destined to be together. Mated. What Bella didn't know and what she may never know was that God did hold up His end of the bargain for her. He allowed them to be together even if it were for just a short amount of time. It just not the way Bella had wanted it to be. It was a little unfair really to have something that was within your grasp to grab and take hold of only to have it ripped out from you. And what neither one of them knew was that they both had waited just as long to be with each other.

As he poured lie after lie onto the heart of Bella, she unconsciously wrapped her arms around her waist as if at any moment she would fall apart.

It was a helpless situation and not one that I was permitted to interfere with.

He fled from Bella leaving her visible shaken. Before she had gotten it in her head to follow him, Edward was already miles away. The sky was quickly becoming darker but yet she seemed not to notice. Her mind was set on one thing and one thing only: finding Edward.

Tired, hungry and wet from the pouring rain Bella didn't give up until her body made her. She tripped and fell to the ground where she stayed.

I spied Lilith sitting in a nearby tree watching it unfold below her. Her smug smile made it clear to me that she was going to use this opportunity to make her move on Bella. I could hear Charlie and others calling for her. Bella wavered in and out of consciousness. I did what I could to urge her to get up and answer her father. A part of me was aware that she knew that she was not alone, that I was with her. Her lips parted making motion to speak but nothing came out. I cried and pleaded with her but it was to no avail. She never heard me. Charlie would never get his daughter back. Lilith swooped from the trees and crouched around Bella sending a protective shield around the girl. The shield was so strong that it knocked me backwards a few hundred feet.

"You, angel, need to stay away. Time is mine now." She hissed at me.

Her head snapped around in a quick blur and Lilith opened her arms and welcomed the one person who I haven't seen in nearly six thousand years…Cain.

~O~

AN: Sorry for the cliffie but trust me, it's needed. Next up is Bella's POV and part of that chapter is already written. And for all of you that are worried that I am going to delve into the world of mermaids, fairies and unicorns can breath easier because I am not. This story is going to diverge away from the Twilight cannon. I don't want to retell Twilight. It has been done and done really well I might add. I just want to take this on a different path. You will in the future hear again from Legacy and also Edward's POV. I am also toying with the idea of Lilith's POV. So let me know if you like that idea.

Thanks for reading!


	6. Indecent Proposal

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or the fabulous characters that Stephenie Meyer. Copyright infringement is not intended.

I went back and re-read this chapter again. I wasn't really happy with Edward and Charlie's phone call. I thought that Edward took the easy way out and he should man-up and let Charlie know who he is from the get go.

~0~

Indecent Proposal

EPOV

The tiny silver cell phone buzzed in my pocket for the millionth time just like it did every day. Why hadn't I crushed it yet and thrown it away? Oh, yes, Alice would comb the world over to find me. At least this way I could afford myself some privacy. I didn't want to answer it but I knew that she wouldn't give up until I did.

"Alice," I groaned. I just wanted to be left alone. Was that too much to ask? Seeing and hearing from my family made me ache all the more. And just because Bella wasn't with me anymore didn't mean the memories of her faded. They would never fade. The members of my family were a constant reminder of what I'll never have but only too briefly experienced.

"I lost her, Edward," Alice whispered into the phone. She knew that I would be angry that she was looking for Bella's future. I specifically requested for her not to. All I wanted was for Bella to live her life the way she was meant to. No more interference from us. And yet Alice couldn't seem to abide by my wishes. Anger reared its ugly head but before I could turn my sister's world upside down she continued in a hurried fashion knowing all too well that I was going to stop her. "Her future has gone completely black. It's blank, Edward. There's nothing."

_Black, blank, nothing? How could this be? It was impossible, right?_

"What does this mean, Alice?" I demanded in an overtly surly tone. "Maybe you aren't trying hard enough. Or better yet why don't you just leave her alone like I asked."

Her voice wavered and I knew that my sister was sobbing. Since Alice could no longer see Bella she told me that she was focusing on Charlie instead. It was Charlie's demeanor that set my course and the path that I would now follow.

"He's sad and seems broken."

"I don't get it, Alice," I couldn't bring myself to say those words; words that I never wanted to say or hear. But Alice knew what I was thinking. There was no need to say those three dreaded words.

"Yes, Edward, I think she is. There is no other explanation for why Charlie is the way he is and for Bella to just disappear like that."

My own voice shook with tearless sobs. "Alice, I have to be sure. I have to be one hundred percent sure."

"You have to call Charlie. As much as it hurts and as painful as this is, it's something you have to do. But I already know that you will chicken out and take the coward's road. I love you. We all love and miss you, Edward."

As I ended my call with Alice, I had just one more thing to do before I set my plan in motion. I needed to place a call to Charlie. I needed to be sure.

I didn't want to come right out and say it was me. I was pretty sure that I was not high on this man's list of favorite people right now. But Alice's words came floating back to me about taking the coward's road. I owed Bella this much. I owed her much more then I could ever give her but since she was no longer part of this world, I could at least be honest and up front with her father.

Charlie answered the phone after the fifth ring and I could feel the lump already forming in my throat. "Hi, Chief Swan, this is Edward." I swallowed unnecessarily.

"Yeah," He grunted.

"Sir, I realize that I am probably the last person that you want to hear from right now, but..."

Charlie quickly cut me off. " Just tell me where she is, Edward. Just fucking tell me where she is!" I could here the man break down on the other end. He was holding out for that one last hope. Hope that I could never bring him. "Just tell me, please, Edward. Tell me that you two eloped and went to Vegas. Please tell me that she's too scared to call her old man and tell him that she's married."

I wish that I could tell him that. I would give anything to turn back time right now.

"Chief Swan," I tried to remain polite and calm in the face of the Chief's anger, depression and worry because I too felt the same. "I really don't know, sir. I wish I was calling to tell you differently."

"Edward Cullen, you were the last person to see her alive!" Charlie's voice trembled. "Just tell me where her body is at so that her mother and I can lay her to rest properly."

"I left her alive and on the path in the woods right behind your house." I let my calm façade slip away along with my dead heart. "If would have known that she was going to travel farther in the woods then I never would have left her there. I didn't know, Chief Swan, I didn't know."

"Cullen, I swear to fucking God in heaven, if I ever see you, I will strangle you, shoot you and not think twice before killing you. I know that you hurt my baby girl and you're the reason she's now dead! Don't give me that bullshit that you didn't know because you do know. There was blood, her blood and items of clothing found deep in the woods close to your house. You're just lucky that your parents don't have a clue to your whereabouts because your ass would be in a jail cell right about now. " Charlie was right. This was my fault entirely but I didn't have it in me to listen anymore. It was confirmed for me straight from the horse's mouth.

As soon as I hung up with Charlie Alice texted me asking when it was that I was planning on coming home. The only way now that I was coming home was in an urn filled with my ashes. I crumpled the tiny phone in my hands. It was over and I was no longer Edward Anthony Masen Cullen.

_Bella was dead._

_Bella was dead._

It was the only thought that consumed my expansive mind. Why did she do this? What about Charlie and Renee? How could she do this to them? It was the one thing I asked her specifically to do without question. All she had to do was stay safe for Charlie's sake. It's all that I asked.

Dry sobs wracked my body. This world is full of beautiful things and people but there was only one Bella Swan. A sense of greed filled me. Not guilt. It was too late for that. If I had just acquiesced to her request and changed her or even let Carlisle do it then this sad situation would not be upon us now.

~0~

I pounded the steering wheel of the piece of crap compact that I had rented. The destruction of the vehicle was inevitable. The rental company had my card number. There were sufficient funds to pay for a new one and then some. I crumbled the steering wheel in my hands to fine powder. Its fragility only served to remind me of what I once had by my side. So beautiful, so delicate like thin spun glass. She was so easily breakable but yet I had to have her.

I was such a selfish creature. I took what I wanted when I should not have. God, forgive me for ruining her and bringing death upon someone who was so beautiful, sweet and innocent. I knew that I would be the cause of Bella's end. Even the monster that used to rejoice in the thought of taking her and draining her dry missed our Bella. But in the face of death I was still a monster to the core. I hated what I had become. Evil is what comes to mind. Evil monsters always find the most precious, beautiful, kindest creatures and destroy them. Good versus evil. Most people would like to think that good will prevail and win out in the end, but they're wrong. Evil and all that is bad always seems to get undo attention and people tend to gravitate towards all that is wrong. Bella included. The world itself is full of evil and wrong doers and I'm most definitely counted amongst them.

I pushed the compact car into a grape vineyard and pulverized it beyond recognition. I made the last track to Volterra on foot. I ran as fast as I could and as I rounded the last bend of the road a sense of freedom came over me. Ninety plus years of being a monster that should have been dead ages ago was now free to die. And if the three Masters couldn't grant me death then I would provoke it somehow and bring it about myself.

I knew that I would never again see Bella. She was too good. Heaven was the place for her and hell awaited me. Heaven's gates would be closed for someone such as me. But I hoped that at least God would grant me one glimpse of my beloved before I am to endure hell.

As the castle came into view I became increasingly aware that I was being followed. They knew that another of their kind was in the area and I could hear their thoughts the closer I got to the castle. The guard waited for me as I approached.

"What business brings you at such a late hour?"

"I wish to speak with your Masters," I spoke with confidence as I eyed the overly huge guard. His thoughts were smug thinking that I wanted to join them. How wrong they were. I wanted no part in the debauchery and underhanded dealings that went on in the castle.

"They're busy." The huge guard huffed as if he couldn't be bothered. But yet he was curious as to my being here.

"Then I'll wait." I painted the most perfect, patient smile on my face. I planted my back against the cobble stonewall and waited. Crossing my arms, I smiled at the big over grown oaf. He was much bigger than Emmett but I was sure if it ever came down to it that they would be evenly matched in strength.

He went on seemingly trying to ignore me but as time went on and I continued to wait, he grew all the more interested in my being at the castle.

"Fine," The oaf breathed out heavily like I was now a burden for him to deal with. "I will take you to the waiting room where you can wait to convene with the Masters."

He led me through dripping tunnels that seemed to be a fitting scene before I experienced death. I only knew what Carlisle had told me about the three Masters, Marcus, Aro, and Caius. They delved in the arts and science but held little compassion for human life. They also served as the under belly of organized crime, supplying the drug cartel with variable funds, giving away vast amounts of fortunes to support weapons trade and funding both sides of the Iraq and Afghani war. This was the side of the brothers that my father did not approve of. They cared little for the destruction of human life. Humans were nothing but whiny, obsessive, complaining cattle. Why Carlisle considered them friends or why Jasper looked up to them I'll never know. To me they were a means to an end.

An out of place elevator was at the end of the damp dark tunnel. We rode the elevator to a waiting room. The room wasn't what I expected it to be, it was simply decorated with a few chairs covered with gray fabric and a mahogany desk. The walls were an off white. Only the heavy ornate wooded doors along one wall were out of place in this simple décor.

"Gianna is human so keep your teeth to yourself or Demetri will definitely have your head." The oaf leaned in so the human couldn't hear.

"Felix," Gianna stood to greeted him. So the oaf had a name? The name Felix didn't really fit him. It seemed small compared to him.

"Gianna, please inform the Masters that we have a guest." She picked up the phone and in perfect Italian informed one of the brothers that someone wished to speak with them and that I was a nuisance to Felix. I should have made it know as to who I was. Maybe the name of Cullen would have gotten me to see the Masters sooner rather than later. But then again the name could pose as a problem as well.

Gianna put the brothers on hold. "Who may I say is calling? The Masters are extremely busy."

Here it was. The one thing that could put a hitch in my plan was my name.

"Could you please tell the Masters that Edward Cullen, son of Carlisle Cullen, would like to speak with them." Gianna rolled her eyes at Felix like I was trying to be somebody important when I really wasn't. I could care less really if the name Cullen would get me to see them any faster. Although it should, I wasn't counting on it.

"Oh, yes, sure, yes, I will send him in right away." I guess the name did mean something after all.

She quietly led me to the ornate double wooden doors and opened them. Down the corridor sat three ancient looking men. I knew them by name only from the painting that hung in Carlisle's office. Should I have survived for thousands of millennia, I knew what I would look like. Their ruby red eyes were clouded over with age and they were much paler than I was. Their skin seemed paper-thin and I worried that I would tear or crush them if we came into contact.

Aro sat upon a throne in the middle, Caius to his left and Marcus on his right.

"To what do we owe the pleasure, young Edward?" Aro clapped his hands together and stood to greet me. The other two sat back and observed.

"Master Aro, I don't know where to begin?" I didn't. How do you explain that the son of your good friend would like you to put them to death?

"No need, my child," Aro held out his hand and I put mine in his. "With just the mere touch of your hand I can read every thought you've ever had. Experience every memory you've lived. See your life as you have." A strange presence came over me as he did this. It was like being enveloped in an invisible fog and as soon as I sensed it the feeling was over. Aro released my hand and backed away slowly. He shook his head as if trying to dispel my thoughts and memories from his brain.

"My child, I don't know if I can go through with what you are asking. You're sire, Carlisle is dear to me." He sat back down on his throne. "And you are most like a son to him. I am not without envy."

Aro turned to face each of his brothers with the gravest of expressions.

"Masters," I began to plead my case. I was losing as their friendship with Carlisle was winning out. "It is with a heavy heart that I come seeking your hand in my demise. I know what I have done in revealing myself to my beloved was wrong, so please don't hold it against my father. My love for Bella is strong and although I am a soulless monster, I wish to join her in death. I can no longer go on this way without knowledge of her in this world."

Aro looked pensive for the moment as I could see that he was thinking about Marcus. Marcus lost his mate some time ago due to Aro's own jealous hand. Aro never revealed to his brother how his mate died and it was a secret he planned to keep for eternity. He forgot for the moment that I could hear every thought in the room. This tidbit of information will be stored away as it may come in handy for future use. As I stored away Aro's secret my own thoughts came to mind. I hoped what I revealed to Aro does come back to bite me or those of my family. Aro is a collector of sorts. He collects the talents of other vampires to make his own coven stronger. Aro was definitely the brains and the manipulator behind this whole operation but the guard was the proverbial back bone. Without the guard the brothers were nothing.

"Young Edward, we will take your request into consideration." Aro said as he motion for Felix to come forward. "Felix, please show our guest to one our suites. Edward, I am sure that you will find that our accommodations to be quite pleasing."

"Masters please don't think of me as rude for turning down your offer. But if you may, you can find me in the gardens."

Aro nodded to Felix, "To be seated amongst the beauty thinking about beauty herself. Ah, to be young again and in love. Death is such an eternal waste." He stayed seated as Felix led me out into the garden grounds.

I knew that if Bella were here she would not want to stay in a lavish room. She would prefer to wait out her sentence here in the gardens and this is where I sat. I planted myself down on a stone bench that was as cold and as hard as myself. This is where I waited and contemplated what I was going to do if they should reject me. From Aro's thoughts I gathered that he would love for me to join the guard and forsake my plan of death. But I could not allow myself to live through the years without Bella in this world. If she could not be by my side than she had to at least be part of this world but she was not and neither will I.

I waited for a day and a half before I was summoned to meet with the brothers again. I knew their thoughts even before I reached the two double wooden doors. They had rejected my request. I knew what I had to do now. _I love you Bella. God will probably not grant me entrance to heaven it's self let alone forgive me. But I hope that you can find it in your heart to do so. If God is as kind and loving as Carlisle claims him to be, may he grant just one glimpse of you__,__ my love__,__ before the hounds of hell drag me to where I truly belong. Forgive me Bella. I love you._ I tried desperately to keep my face blank as I entered the antechamber.

"Edward, my child," Aro began. "It is with the deepest regret that I cannot abide by your wishes just yet."

Were they or were they not going to do this for me. Their thoughts did not mirror their words. In fact at that moment Aro's went completely blank as if he were blocking me from seeing things.

"You have such an amazing talent. It's such a waste to throw it away like that."

I felt like a petulant child. I didn't care. My "talent" was a burden and one I had come to wish that I didn't own.

"Edward," Aro looked toward Caius and Marcus and nodded his head. They in turn did the same as if they were all in agreement. "We will grant your request…but you in turn need to give us something in return. And before you protest let me explain and I'm sure you will see things my, _our_ way.

"First of all, it is a crime to reveal yourself to humans. Carlisle knows this and I am well aware that he has taught you that our secrecy is the utmost importance. Has he not?"

I nodded my head in agreement but I seethed in anger. Where was he going with all this?

"That crime by its self is punishable by death." Aro continued his tirade. "Again, I am aware that this is what you are seeking. However, your beloved human is now dead and with reasonable assurance has never spoken a word of your existence to no one…I spoke to Carlisle last night about you being here. He assured me that the girl kept the secret of our existence – very rare for a human indeed. Are you certain that the girl was entirely human? After all you couldn't read Isabella's thought. Ah, too bad she had to throw that talent away. It would have been interesting to see what kind of vampire she would have made…Oh, that's right; you didn't see fit to grant her immortality, did you?"

My fists clenched at my sides. If I provoked them enough would they see fit to grant me death? How dare he speak of Bella that way? He didn't know her. He couldn't see how good she was and that some one that innocent and good didn't deserve to have their soul ripped from them only to be made into a monster.

"Keep your anger in check, boy." Caius muttered sensing my raging mood. "It will do you no good. Provoking us will not bring about your death even though you are deserving of it."

"May I continue, please?" Aro's gaze cut to my very core and as much as I wanted to piss them off, it wouldn't bring the desired effect that I was longing for.

"What was I saying? Oh, yes, Isabella's death. Yes, her death saved your entire family really. Secondly, even though the threat of being exposed no longer exists, there's still a price to be paid for the actual crime its self.

"Here is our proposal, young Edward. We usually require a dedicated service of ten years to the guard but we are willing to make an exception in your case. You want something from us and we want something from you. If you do this one job and take care of this emanate threat to the Volturi we will grant you death upon your return if you so choose. Do you except?"

Aro's intense gaze was serious. The threat he spoke of was real and he needed me, my talent to weed out and eliminate the potential danger. If I did the job they would grant me death. Hell, if this job was so dangerous and posed such a risk to the Volturi maybe, just maybe it would be too tough for me to handle and bring around my release from this prison. A suicide mission, I was all for it.

"Yes, Aro, you have my word" I agreed wholeheartedly to this. I was committed. Either way, I was going to receive what I was looking for in the end. "As long as you hold up your end of the bargain I will do this."

"My child, the only way I will change my mind is if you change yours and you choose to join the guard. I would love to have you, you know. And just keep this in mind as well, if you should choose at some point to go against and forsake this job, our arrangement is off and your entire family will pay the price for the crime that you clearly committed. Are we clear?"

"Yes," I would do the job or die trying at least. My family will not pay for my sins. They were mine and mine alone to deal with."

"Ah, so noble, I see. The job entails this: The Romanian Coven poses as a threat to Volterra. There is claim that they possess an item of great importance that once belonged in our vaults. It's been missing for two thousand years. I want it back!" Aro's eyes went black with hatred as he remembered his dealings with the Romanian Coven. "The leaders of this coven, Stefan and Vladimir think that they have claim over the ruler ship of Volterra. Of course, they do not. But that is neither here nor there. We will deal with the Romanians in due time. You are to get the item in question. Kill whom ever you have to get it. Getting it will not be easy as I am sure that the item does not reside in Romania. Vladimir and Stefan are too smart for that and know that's the first place we would look. I know for a fact the item is guarded at all times. Who is guarding as we speak, I don't know. The last one to guard it went insane and had to be dealt with in a manner to which best suited him. Rumor has it the next guard on the list is female. She will likely be a newborn and still in training but she will be strong as well as talented. I needn't remind you to be careful of this. You've been around newborns before so you know how they act. Be careful, my boy. Do not go for the obvious kill. "

Yes, I was well aware as to how newborns acted. In a way I wished I had Jasper here to help me deal with this situation, as he knew how to handle a newborn in a militaristic way.

"May I inquire as to what this item in question is?"

"Yes, that's the beauty of it, Edward, you can!" Aro's eyes gleamed like a child's at Christmas. "The item you will be in search of is a list, a scroll."

"A list…" I repeated.

"Not just any list, a list that was written by the hand of God Himself. The list comprises of all the names of every single fallen angel that ever existed, exists now and will ever exist. These are angels who choose to fall away from heaven only to be born into humanity. These human angels have special gifts, very special gifts. Some of these fallen angels are specifically designed to guard this list. Since the list was created there have been nine guards in total. The female is rumored to be the last. Every single guard they had went insane and it's a wonder why. These guards are made into vampires only to refine their gifts."

"How did the list come to be in the possession of the Romanians in the first place?" I asked.

"Like I said, dear Edward," Aro started to explain. "These angels are tricky and powerful. I know that we in Volterra possess two of them already, Jane and Alec. There is some question as to whether Demetri is among the human angels as he is the best tracker that I have ever seen. But then again there are also very talented humans in the world as well. The scroll was stolen by the first guard on the list and brought to the Romanians.

"I know you're going to ask it so I might as well just answer for you anyway. How did we first come in contact with the list? Legend has it that the scroll was given to Cain from Lilith to protect. Cain as you probably suspected was indeed the first vampire created by God as a punishment for murder. I won't go into the history of him, as it's not really necessary or important at this time. How Lilith came upon it, it is not known. But the list is as old as time and needs to be lock back into the vault from whence it came. It serves no purpose for Vladimir and Stefan."

Two thoughts hit me at once. Aro wanted scroll as these talented fallen angels fit so nicely into his treasure trove of equally talented vampires. It only serves to make his coven that much bigger and that much stronger. Aro is driven by greed. On the other hand, Stefan and Vladimir have seemingly tried to do their best and not to let Aro's coven get any bigger than it already is. They've used the list only to garner the respected guards that are supposed to protect the scroll. I was at a cross roads so to speak. I wasn't sure what to do. What would my father do in this situation? What would Bella want me to do? If I delivered the list back to the brothers than I get my just reward but if I failed in doing so then my family would pay the price. Have I ever done the right thing in all my life? It seems that I have failed miserably time and time again.

I proceeded to go about doing what I could never letting Aro see the dilemma raging around in my head. My father and my lost love would want me to the right thing. So I headed out on a private jet bound for Romania not knowing where this indecent proposal will lead me or what path it will take me down.

~0~

AN: The next chapter is Bella's POV and the story of Lilith and Cain.

I wanted to thank everyone who has read, faved, added this story to their alerts and reviewed. It means a lot to me.


	7. The Lay of Lilith and Cain

Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga. That unfortunately belongs to Stephenie Meyer. Copyright infringement is not intended.

BPOV:

My life spun out of control. Not that I ever had control. My world was a whirlwind from the moment that I first met him until the moment that _he_ decided to end thing for us. I was not good enough to be in his life or the lives of his family. I knew this; of course I had always known that. There had always been that nagging question in my mind of what did he ever see in me, a plain Jane compared to the rest of _his_ beautiful family. But he had a way of making me feel special and loved. There had been plenty of times I had to pinch my self because I didn't think that feeling this way was remotely possible.

I loved him with my heart and soul. Hell, I was ready to give him both if we could just spend forever together. But he adamantly refused each and every time I brought the subject up. He said that he would not damn my soul to an existence like this. Little did he know that by leaving me, he already damned my soul.

In all my fallible humanness I tried to follow him. I straighten myself up and marched in the direction that I thought he sped off in. _He had to be going back to his house, right? I mean, sure vampires had strength, speed and agility on their side but it would at least take them a whole day to pack up. _My thoughts continued in this way of reasoning as I wondered through the woods.

If I was going to be honest with my self, I had absolutely no idea where I was heading. Everything around me was starting to look the same. I wasn't sure any more. In desperation, I tried listening for the sound of the river that I knew was near their house. As soon as I heard it, I took off once again in that direction.

But to no avail, I was soon lost. My ears strained against the buzzing sound of bugs in the trees and the chirp of birds. Finally through the myriad of noises that on any given day I would never pay attention to, I heard the river this time in the complete opposite direction of where I first came.

I spun around in defeat. In agony, I clutched both arms around my waist as if I was holding everything back that was inside of me.

"Edward, please," I pleaded knowing that the love of my life was never going to hear me. He was never going to hear me again. I tried with difficulty to remember the sweet velvety sounds of his voice. He was right. The human mind was just like a sieve. Soon I would forget. I was already forgetting his voice and he just left me hours ago. It wouldn't be long before I soon forgot his beautiful face all together. Or what it felt like to hold his cool hand in mine.

But what I could never forget is the gut-wrenching hole in my chest that he left when he tore my heart out. I'll never forget who did this to me. I will never forget that Edward did this to me.

And then on that same note, if he came back to me today, tomorrow or even a year from now I knew that I would take him back. I loved him. I still love him and for some strange reason I knew deep down that I had always loved him even before we met.

Cold, tired and completely drenched to the bone, I tripped and sunk down to the forest floor and drowned myself in the flood of tears that just would not stop. The life I had known was over and a life without Edward was not worth living. Resigning to the fact that I would never see Charlie or Renee again, I curled myself up and waited.

Waited for the elements of nature to take me or for some animal to end if for me. I cared not for the promises that I made because he broke his the moment that he left. So I waited, waited for all of this to all end.

It seemed that I was lying there for days in the same spot curled up on the forest floor. Thirst and hunger were beyond me now as every part of me was numb and I even thought I heard the sound of police dogs in the distance. But the forest was tricky and just when you think you heard or saw something, you never really did in the first place. The woodland played severely with my imagination and my mind. Sometimes I thought I saw this ethereal creature watching me, begging me to get up and continue on. But through my illusions or maybe for a lack of a better word, my delusions, I ignored him.

Although I was sure of it now and was not hallucinating, Charlie was out there looking for me, but this ancient almost primordial looking woods was not about to let go of one of it prisoners to anybody, least of all to the Chief of Police. Dogs and people circled about but never coming close enough to finding me. It was like I had become part of the forest floor. Just like I had always done in life, I blended in.

So it was here that I waited, waited for death.

~0~

Before I even opened my eyes I could hear the buzzing of the forest. _No. It wasn't supposed to be like this!_ My brain screamed at me. I almost felt claustrophobic like being confined to a small space. My eyes opened to a dizzying array of sunshine splicing it rays through the green thicket.

Confusion set in. Why wasn't I dead? Or maybe I was and this is where I was to forever remain. My mind was hazy as I tried to listen to the sounds around me. The wind rustled and the crunching of dried leaves under light, lithe footsteps. I could hear the whispering of voices and my heart dropped into an even deeper depression. I was found. I didn't want to be found.

The voices around me were quick and hushed. It was hard to make out the conversation. I knew that they were discussing me.

"She's waking up." A female voiced whispered as I strained my ears to hear.

"Yes, yes." A male voice chimed in. "She shall be hungry. We need to get her out of here soon."

"But why won't she just let go? Just give in and let the unconsciousness take her." The female voice sounded as if she were hovering above me. "It would make things so much easier."

I dared not to open my eyes for fear of what was around me. For all I knew that this was an illusion that my now demented mind cooked up.

"Because she can't," The male voice sounded just as close as the female's. "Her heart won't let go. She will never let him go. He is forever ingrained just as he had always been."

"Then this does complicate things a bit, doesn't it?"

"No, not really," The male's voice said. "Initially, it will not but as time goes on, she will remember bits and pieces of her former life and then she may complicate things. But she is kind, compassionate and loving in this life. There is no reason to doubt that she will be all of those things a hundred times more."

"Then let's get things in order, shall we?"

"Yes, my love, we've waited a long time for this to happen."

My eyes remained close that whole time but I suspected that they knew that I was now fully awake. I couldn't fathom for the life of me what in the world they were talking about. But before I could dwell on that thought any longer strong warm arms gripped me. The wind whipped around us and I was vaguely aware that we were running. I should have been freezing with the speed at which we were traveling but I wasn't. Whatever plans they had for me, I just hoped that they would make my death quick so that I wouldn't have to dwell on him anymore, that my heart wouldn't have to hurt anymore.

The whipping winds and the sounds of the forest soon gave way to more industrial noises. The loud resonance of engines filled my ears. I still didn't open my eyes to look at my captures but I found myself being laid down ever so deftly on the softest velvet sofa, soon after a blanket was gently placed on me and I drifted to sleep once again.

~O~

I was startled awake by the nightmare that I was forced to relive. My eyes opened wide, just barely taking in their surroundings. It was the loud roaring sounds of engines that told me where I was. Other than a few passenger flights I had never been on a private jet before. I finally took in the details of my surroundings. The woodwork was a rich mahogany; the plush velvet coverings were a luxurious burgundy surrounded by gold trim. If I weren't in such a nightmare of the moment, I would have sworn that Donald Trump himself kidnapped me.

At my third or fourth go around at taking in the details of the plane, I realized that I was completely alone. The strong warm hands that cradled me were no longer here. Terrified, I drew my knees up to my chest and clutched the blanket tight. I had been brought here for a purpose. To me, who ever had done this had put in a lot of effort to see this through. Death was still a possibility at this point. It was still something that I craved. The gapping hole in my heart still pained me beyond belief but another wave of sadness hit me. My parents. What about Charlie and Renee? If who ever took me would have just left me for dead in the woods like I had wanted, my parents would have had a body at least to bury and grieve for. But now there was nothing. No body and for all intents and purposes the Cullen's left town. Would my parents think that I left with them? Oh how I wish that were the case?

But everything that was of importance to me I left behind in my truck. I wanted to lay in my own tortured depression until it killed me. I worried about how my sudden disappearance might affect Charlie and Renee and none of that seemed even remotely important as to the overwhelming fear that gripped at my insides.

I knew that this was my end. That whoever had done this would use me for whatever reason and then kill me. I wanted death to be on my terms, to control it. I say when and where. Not somebody else. But I wasn't in control anymore, not that I ever had I guess.

I curled up on the couch listening to the drone of the engine. I should have felt much lighter with the gapping hole that was now in my heart but I wasn't. The crushing weight of my existence was heavy. The pulsating beat of my heart sounded loud in my ears. It still pumped blood but it no longer belonged to anyone. It was never mine to hold, only to give away. But the one whom I gave it to no longer wanted it. My heart was no longer whole. I was no longer whole. Forever, I would be damaged.

Sleep never found me but I closed my eyes wishing for death just to take me if I drifted off. Behind the closed door of the cockpit I heard the soft ramblings of voices that sounded vaguely familiar. The language was off. I couldn't even begin to place it. It almost sounded ancient, a language that isn't spoken anymore or enough to be learned in a scholarly setting.

And then as softly as the words that were spoken behind the closed door, the most beautiful creature that ever existed walked through. She had long dark blue-black hair that reached just behind her knees and radiant blue eyes. She was pale just like the vampires that I had known but her eyes lacked the tired purple bruises. In fact this creature seemed to glow from the inside out. It was very easy to see how one could fall prey to this angel. The shallow beauty of Rosalie couldn't hold a candle to this ethereal being. I could feel my eyes widen in sheer panic, fear and keening interest. Although the fear was winning out the closer she came.

She gracefully floated by and sat in the seat opposite of me.

"Isabella," Her voice was reminiscent of the lightest of warm breezes carried through the trees on a summer day. "I am so glad that you are finally awake."

I could only continue to stare, which I knew was rude but what did she expect of me?

"You must be hungry. I'll have Eli bring you something soon." I gently nodded my head giving her some kind of response so that she wouldn't think that there was nothing going on in my head at the moment. But I don't think that I could have spoken a word even if I had wanted to.

"I know that this is quite a shock to you and I am sure that you have questions, my dear child. All will be answered shortly and in due time." I wasn't sure if I really had questions. They were more or less demands floating aimlessly around my brain.

"Cain will be joining us shortly for our decent into Romania."

Huh? What? Where exactly was I? "Ro…Romania?" I managed an unintelligent stutter.

The celestial being lithely stood from her seat and offered me a smile that told me once again that all questions will be answered in time. Her feet never seemed to touch the floor as she made her way towards the door. She again spoke in that same ancient language and nodded her head as some one responded.

"Where are my manners?" She came and sat across from me again. "I am Lilith the Lilith of old and legend." She laughed and struck her hand out for me to shake.

That's it! I knew it! I'm dead. Yes, I did die in the woods. Only in death could I conjure up such ridiculousness. Not even in my dreams could I come up with such stupid silliness. It made sense now…Cain, Lilith, a murderous biblical figure and the demon ex-lover of Adam. Okay, I expected angels with harps and maybe, just maybe coming face to face with Jesus himself. Who knows, I still just might. He could be in the cockpit piloting the plane as we speak. I am dead after all. Dead and insane! Perfect, just perfect!

My face must have clearly reflected the absurdity of the situation because Lilith let out a hearty laugh.

"Oh, Isabella," She said still finding this utterly humorous. "This is all real. I am real. You are real. You are not dreaming nor are you dead." Lilith held her hand out once again and I realized then that I didn't reciprocate the handshake from before.

The light graze of her palm in mine was soft and warm. It was nothing like the coldness that I have come to know and expect.

"You're warm." I gasped.

"Yes, it wasn't what you were expecting was it?"

I shook my head trying to keep all unintelligent words from leaking out of my mouth and sounding like the stupid idiot that I was. And thank the heavens that I was spared further conversation with Lilith for the moment. The person that I was assuming was Eli came in baring food. And comfort food no less, grilled cheese and tomato soup. Eli slightly wrinkled his nose as he placed the food on a tray beside me. I could tell instantly that he was a vampire.

_He_ crudely tried to spare me of the world of vampire by severing my ties with them and yet here I was on a privet jet bound for Romania wrapped up in legends much older than _him_ and _his _family.

I didn't know how long it was the last time I ate but the food smelled absolutely mouth watering. And for the moment any and all thoughts of _him_ left me. Lilith sat silently watching me inhale my sandwich and soup. I almost felt like a pig but something told me that she was aware that I was beyond ravenous.

As if on cue, Eli walked back in and picked up the now empty tray.

"Cain will be joining us in a few minutes and we'll try to answer some of your questions to the best of our abilities at the moment."

"Okay," I breathed out. But really in all honesty I was hurting. I was hurting so much. It was hard to imagine that one person could feel like this. I would do whatever they wanted me to do and then I would get on with dying.

~~0~~

We sat in marked silence that faintly reminded me of the comfortableness that Charlie and I shared. My heart seemed to break further thinking about my parents and what they must be going through at the moment.

But those thoughts were instantly shoved to the back of my head when I could only assume was Cain walked through the cockpit door. Like Lilith, he glided across the floor. He regarded Lilith with such reverence and love that made me very jealous to witness. I turned my head to the window, taking in the black nothingness of the world outside. I almost felt like I was intruding on they're tender moment.

"Isabella," Cain's musical voice brought me out of my trance and seemingly newfound fascination with airplane windows.

I slowly turned my head to see that he had his hand stuck out for me to take. If anything both Lilith and Cain were polite. My own hand reached for his as if it had a mind of its own. His grasp on my hand was not tight but it still garnered complete respect. I almost didn't squeeze back for fear that I would crush his. Cain's hand was pale and the skin although hard and cold felt paper-thin. He brought my hand to his mouth and brushed his lips against my knuckles.

I shivered. Not from the cold that emanated from Cain but from the sheer reminder of nights I spent with _him_ and the chaste kisses we shared.

"I'm sorry," He swiftly apologized. "Sometimes I forget how cold I am to humans."

"It's okay," I shook my head. _Let him think what he wants, _I though to myself.

Cain sat beside Lilith and gently took her hand in his. Again jealousy flooded my heart and reminded me of what I will never have. I should just be grateful that at least I felt love for someone even if that love was somewhat one sided. It was sad but I couldn't even bring myself to feel grateful for that. On any given occasion I would have felt honored that I was in the presence of legends but now I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Watching love and being surrounded by it was just making me ache all the more for _him._

"Isabella, I'm sure you have a ton of questions," Cain looked at me drawing my eyes to his. And for the first time I realized that his eyes were brown. I was so sure that he was a vampire. Was I wrong? But yes, he was right. I did have questions.

If there was one thing that _he_ was right about, I did seem to lack the rational fear that one was in the presence of a supernatural predator even if they were unaware of who was before them. Maybe it was that fear seemed to dissipate because I wanted death so badly and at this point, being killed by two supernatural beings looked good either way. I would do what they wanted and then beg for death.

I only nodded my head to indicate that I did indeed have questions. But what those questions were exactly at the moment, I didn't have a clue yet. I'm sure they'd arise in time.

Cain looked and Lilith, "Maybe I should start first. A breif little history of the two of us is needed before we can proceed with everything else."

She looked down at her hands needlessly before she continued. "The Bible so conveniently forgets to mention me at all. I get shoved into myths and evil ones at that. But let's start at the beginning, shall we?

"I was the second human creation of God's. As soon as Adam saw me he wanted to name me. He called me Koch'av, which is Hebrew for star. It's because I glowed from the inside out he said. But I was my own person and I quickly corrected him that my name was Lilith. That's what I wanted to be called. This seemed to anger Adam some though he did quickly get over it." Her laughter was light as she recalled the tale.

"Of course I was naked. There was no need for clothes at this point. Adam's body responded appropriately." The light laughter that escaped her lips just moments ago was replaced now by a frown. "I was not prepared for what happened next. I wanted to talk with Adam, get to know him. But Adam wanted to get to know me in one way and one way only. He said that I was his that all creation was given to him to name and to have dominance over. He was not going to have dominance over me and I made it known to him that I was my own person. Adam lunged and knocked us to the ground as he tried to force himself on me. I quickly turned the tables and flipped us over so that I was on top. But I was not going to be forced into having sex with him. I found his dominance and arrogance very unappealing.

"I told him again that I was my own person. No one controlled me, least of all him. I ran from Adam, never to return and he let me go without a fight. I sat at the edge of the world watching the ocean water ebb, flow and crash upon the beach. I wondered what I would do or where I would go. I begged for God to kill me because I didn't really want to be alone per se. But I didn't want to be controlled either.

"I am human but I am also immortal. Before Adam and his now beloved wife, Eve, were tempted to disobey God, I didn't fall under the cover of Original Sin. I never thought that I was a jealous woman by any means until I came across Eve. Eve in every sense of the word looked exactly like me. Although she was created from Adam, it gave him a sense of control and he like it. And not only did we look alike but she was to become the mother of all human life. I didn't want Adam. I wanted motherhood. I envied that aspect about their relationship. I spent my days spying on Adam and Eve and my nights were spent begging God to grant me a mate just the same.

"God ignored me. He turned his back on his second human creation. His favored lied with his beloved Adam. While He ignored me, God spent his evenings walking and talking with Adam and Eve. Every night he stressed that his beloveds should avoid at all cost the Tree of Knowledge. It always struck me funny as to why God would put something like that in the Garden and then tell them to leave it alone or else they'll die. They didn't have the faintest concept of what death was…neither did I really. Because God choose to create someone exactly like me, because God allowed me to be alone and because God turned his face from me, rage flooded my heart. I was no longer Lilith any more. I realized, unlike Adam, that I had the power to shape-shift. The serpent was the first animal that I ever shifted to and it was too perfect really.

"I couldn't go to Eve as my former self as that might have been too much for her to take. That controlling pig Adam taught her that they were the only two humans that existed. I slithered and wound my way up the forbidden tree. I waited for Eve to come by when Adam was otherwise occupied. And then she came and I called to her. They were going to fall and I couldn't wait to see it happen.

"I told Eve that she wouldn't die if she picked the fruit of the tree. She would become like God if she did. All the knowledge that God possessed so would they. Of course I didn't actually have my facts straight but when jealousy and anger rages sometime all you see is red. There was no way to know for sure what was going to happen. In any case, I pleaded with her to convinced Adam of this newfound information. And who knew that the power of persuasion would actually work so well to my benefit. I thought my plan worked. But in reality it didn't. Yes, at first Adam blamed his actions on Eve but in the end even when they were cast out from paradise he still loved her and I was still alone.

"I should have counted my blessings because I was lucky that God never revealed to Adam that it was me. This major blunder in history gets blamed on Lucifer. It doesn't bother him much. Anything that sheds any sort of light on that fallen angel…well, he takes what he can get really.

"Anything on the outskirts of where Adam and Eve lived was called the Land of Nod. For obvious reasons I was never going back to Adam and I was never going to reveal myself to Eve, this is where I dwelled. I never went back to see them after that and to this day, I still don't have any regret as to what I did.

"I turned my love to the land, to earth. I became now what people refer to as mother earth, Mother Nature or as to the Greeks, Gaia. I became responsible for the birth, growth and death of the seasons. The breeze that floats and whips through the air is my voice carried on the wind. I am all around and in everything. Although I am an immortal human, I am also spirit, the three phases of the moon, daughter, mother and crone. I poured myself into becoming spirit and creating spirit. I found by touching a tree, I could give it life that it never had before. If I dipped my foot into a river, it flowed like blood flows through veins. Everything I touched, I gave life to. And I fell in love with my creations. Faeries and pixies were born out of nature spirits. What I created gave life to something else and I was ecstatic.

"But through it all I was still alone. I loved what I created and what I created loved me. I wanted more though. I didn't have to wait too long. The most beautiful man came wondering into Nod and he hid himself from me. He was scared and ashamed by whatever drew him from his homeland. I unabashedly wondered if I could touch nature and give it life, could I touch this man and do the same."

All the while through Lilith's brief tale Cain's eyes shone bright with love for the woman beside him. My heart still ached immensely for what I lost or better yet for the love that I never really had in the first place. I tried my hardest to stay interested in what they had to say. At any other time in my so-called life, I would have been enamored to be in the presence of an ancient legend and a biblical figure. I couldn't help wonder but wonder what roll I had to play in all of this. My whole world had been turned upside down. I lost everything I had ever known. But what could possess two notorious figures to kidnap me and take me halfway around the world. For what purpose did this serve?

Without missing a beat Cain picked up where Lilith left off. "From what you read in the Word of God, my dear Isabella, my tale is spun in truth. I killed my brother in a fit of jealous rage. God wanted offerings of our harvest but in all fairness He did not specify that it was to be the first harvest just that it had to be a harvest. Abel, my brother, brought God his first I did not. This didn't please God and He found favor in my brother. Abel was never a boastful person. In fact he was quite humble. He loved and had immense faith in God. I thought that I did too. The simple fact that we were individuals, different in life style and personality, this did not sit well with the Lord."

Cain looked towards the window lost in thought. "It always seemed that I couldn't do right where Abel was concerned. But this didn't bother me, at first. I would go about my daily business uttering useless prayers to a God that never saw fit to find any redeeming qualities in me. The midsummer harvest was coming up and I was busying my self with that and I paid little attention to my brother. As the day approached I laid my offer around the family altar. We paid our respects to our creator, offered prayers and blessing for a bountiful year ahead and took part in a feast all in the honor of God. But God was not with me; I could feel that he wasn't.

"I went to Abel to complain and to seek some advice on how to find favor. I wanted to please God. I really did. The moment that I laid eyes on my brother I saw nothing but red. Yes, I was the first to murder a human being but it was never my intent, you see. It wasn't planned out at all. Abel leaned against a Cypress tree smiling at me all the while knowing that I was annoyed and frustrated. He let me wallow in it. I picked up a rock that I intended to whip at the tree but in my act of frustration I missed my target and hit my brother in the head.

"Medically in this day and age he probably could have been saved. Although death was probably a blessing at this point as Abel most likely would have been brain dead from my frustrations. But we knew nothing of the sort. Longevity was bestowed on us; sickness and diseases didn't exist yet. So death was something very new. I held my brother as he bled to death by the tree. His blood poured into the earth. Oh, how little I knew that this was going to be my very existence…death and blood.

"The sun quickly quelled to night and the ground began to quake. The earth opened and split and at that moment as my brother lay dying in my arms, I wished one of those gashes would swallow me whole. It unfortunately did not."

Pain was clearly etched on Cain's marble features and my heart ached for him. It was clear to me how fallible the Bible really was. Nowhere did I ever read that what Cain had done was a mistake…nowhere. I was somewhat confused as to my stance on this whole God thing. But you can still see after all this time that he wrestled with the pain and the guilt over what he had done. I understood that there has to be some kind of punishment for the crime or crimes that you commit, but where was the forgiveness that the Bible mentions over and over again? A part of me knew where Cain was going with his story, so I wondered why it was that if God could find forgiveness of one of the murderous criminals on the cross next to Jesus, then why couldn't he find forgiveness with Cain? I planted that question away to ask later.

Despite his apparent affliction Cain continued. "There was a loud roar in the Heavens and I knew in that instant that God was angry with me.

'Cain, what have you done?' It wasn't really a question, as God clearly knew what I did.

'I'm so sorry, my Lord. It was an accident. I didn't mean for this to happen. Oh, please Father, wake him up.'

"Abel's death was the first and I didn't understand yet that his death meant that he would never wake again. I was truly scared and alone. Being separated from God is not a good thing. It's a desperate feeling but I knew what it was right away and I didn't like it. God was displeased with me.

'As your brothers blood seeps back into the earth, so shall you forever crave what you have spilled.' The ground shook and the leaves twisted on the wind as God spoke.

'As of now you will be marked. Let no man come to claim you, for if they do, they shall meet the same end as Abel. The sun shall not be your friend and in the day you will seek to hide. But it is the night that you will walk in search of what you will crave. May it forever burn and be a constant reminder of what you took from me. I am a just God, Cain and I do not like things taken from Me. You will walk for an eternity and yet you will never see my forgiveness for this is something that I just cannot give. Like a snake, venom will pour from your teeth to paralyze your victims, your skin will become cold and hard as death itself. Everything about you will draw humans to your presence. Your scent and your beauty will catch their eye. And with speed and strength you will take them before they even know what's happening to them. Like the lion hunts for it's prey, so shall you. Blood, the very blood that you have spilled will become the sustenance that you will need. You will kill and you will create.'

"I didn't have time to ponder that last sentence that God spoke because in that instant two things happened. One, He took my brother's dead body from my hands. And two, my own body began to burn. I'm not sure how much you actually know about the transferring process, Isabella, but it's an excruciating ordeal. It's not much different for those that I have turned or have witness their turning. For myself anyway, I wasn't sure how long the process lasted. On a normal human it take no more than three days. The burning pain began to subside as my heart began to pump its last beats.

"I awoke to a world much different than I remembered. For one thing, my vision was much finer and clearer than before. I could see farther and with great detail. Through my enhanced vision I could see the air itself. And my hearing, oh if there ever was a down fall it was there. I could hear everything. My family was miles away and yet I could pick up their individual heartbeats. The wet moist sounds of their blood flowing and working through their hearts brought the dull ache in my throat to a roaring inferno. I wanted them. It would quench this pain. And as I approached my family, I was blocked from going to them. A being with huge wings of a bird carried a flaming swords stopped me from going further. He told me that this was not where I belonged and to turn around. Turning from my home and my land to walk into the unknown was terrifying. There were no humans that I knew of in Nod. What was I going to do? How was I going to survive? I was apart from my family and I was apart from God. It was if He never knew me. Like my father and mother before me, I was cursed. I never knew Eden but I knew the shame that my parents felt at losing that aspect of God and he cursed them…particularly my mother and all women of the future. Creating and carrying a child is a gift but the act of labor and the pain it causes is a curse indeed. It stands as a reminder to the future generations of the sin my mother created her self. And women everywhere, everyday pay for that sin over and over again.

"So in turn, I myself am cursed. Forever I will pay for the blood that I spilled and so do every offspring of mine. It's an endless cycle where forgiveness cannot be found. I guess one begins to wonder if there is ever such a thing as true forgiveness. I think there is as God picks and chooses what He wants. Fallibility is the Original Sin as perfection is taken from you. On the outside I appear perfect, but, Isabella, inside, I am not. I have this perfect memory. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of Abel and wish that I did things differently. But what's done is done and I can't change that now.

"In shame I ran to Nod. I hid myself in the day and walked at night. I soon learned that other heartbeats; those found in animals piqued my interest and growing thirst. My second kill was that of a lion. He put up a great fight but in the end was no match for me. The blood of the lion didn't completely quell the thirst that raged but it quenched it enough to satisfy the burning ache. The thought occurred to me that if I could maintain sustenance of animal blood then just maybe I wouldn't crave the pulsating blood that flowed in a human being. If this is the only thing that I can do right by God then I was going to do it. I would do it for God and I would do it for Abel.

"Yes, I have tasted human blood and believe me when I say, it calls to me still to this day. But I have never killed another human being ever. I won't."

I felt a smile creep on my face as I thought about the Cullen's particularly Carlisle and his compassion towards life in general. I wasn't sure of the others in his family but I knew from what _he_ told me that Carlisle had never taken a human life and he himself thought the same as Cain.

"Ah, you smile, dear Isabella. It is good to see and I don't doubt that I know why. Stregoni Benefici.I only met him once I am afraid. We don't share the same views on the Volturi. Very few of us choose to live off the blood of animals. Most are trained to take life and think nothing of it as if humanity was nothing more than chattel. My mistakes are mine and I own them but I will not treat humanity in that way.

"How I chose to live had no bearing on my curse and was still damned either way. I was shamed. Hiding from the sunlight, I walked by the stars and the moon. By night I stalked my prey and pondered how I was going to get through eternity. And then one day I thought that I would chance the sun and walk by the shadows. I had no idea what effect the sun would have on me. I didn't think it could be death because God had granted eternity on me but I stuck to the shadows regardless. I could hear the rush of water and I wanted to see for myself the cause of this sound. I chanced as close as I could get without stepping into the sun's full light.

"In my homeland we had rivers and other small areas of water but this was nothing like I had ever seen before. A head of me lay this huge vast body of water I was so enamored by this oddity that I almost didn't take notice of the beautiful creature walking along it's waves.

"This creature was nothing like I had ever seen before. Her heart beat but yet the blood the pounded her veins did not call to me. My own heart had since cease to beat so I knew that she wasn't anything like me but I knew that she could not be human. The first thing I noticed was her sadness. She kept calling for god to answer her and I couldn't help to wonder what she had done to be banished and cursed from God's presence.

She turned immediately as if she knew that something was there that didn't belong. Her beauty struck me. The wondrous and strange creature reminded me of what my mother probably had been in her youth. So much so did they look alike, like sisters. I tried backing away but I wasn't quick enough.

"I crouched behind a huge bush hoping to be hidden from her view. I was shameful and since I hadn't come across other humans, no one could tell me what I looked like or what this curse had done to me. I was frightened myself and yet I didn't want to frighten her.

"She came upon me as if she knew exactly where I was.

'Don't come any closer.' I called out to her. I knew what I was capable of when I was in the company of an animal so I had no idea as to what I could do to her. 'I don't want to hurt you.'

"She laughed at me and for the moment I felt insulted.

'I am not scared of you. I am curious, yes but not frightened in any way.'

'I could kill you and you wouldn't even know what came upon you until it is too late.' I wanted her to stay away and yet the other part of me yearned to know her. Her eyes squinted as if she were the one that was now insulted.

'I really doubt that entirely. Why don't you come out, please?'

'No, I don't think that you would like me. I walk by night only.'

'But yet you stalk the shadows by day?'

"How was I supposed to answer that?

'The sound of water drew me in and I had to see it for myself the source of what compelled me out and into the shadows. It is by mere curiosity that I happened here.'

'Ah, I see and what do you think of this mere curiosity?'

"I wasn't sure now if she were talking about the huge vastness of water before us or the fact that I had stumbled upon her. I chose not to answer her at this time. I thought that if I didn't answer her or talk to her any more she would go. But that was not the case for either of us. She didn't want to let me go and I didn't want to see her leave.

'Please tell me your name.' She begged of me.

'It's Cain.'

'Well, Cain, I am Lilith.'

"It took some coaxing on her part to finally draw me out of hiding. I was damned for eternity anyway so what did I have to lose? If I scared her off with my offensiveness then so be it. So for the first time I walked out into the sunlight in Lilith's presence. I think we gasped at the same time. My skin glinted like tiny diamonds. I now knew why I could not walk by the sun. I would draw attention to myself that I didn't want. I would be forced to kill. They would seek me out until the found me.

"It was this very reason alone that the myths about our species was created in the first place. I will not bore you with the details about how we came to fall in love but our love did spawn the second of our kind, Amasa. His name means 'bearing a burden', which he will forever and always do. Our son is more or less a hybrid of a vampire and a human. He can walk by the sun if he so chooses and pass for a human but Amasa can also create another with just the mere venom from his teeth as well.

"As the earth began to populate more and more and as Amasa grew, his heart began to search for his mate. We didn't know how this process worked. With Lilith, carrying Amasa was a grueling ordeal and the toll it took on her body alone was not something worth repeating. She thankfully healed but would a fully human woman heal from this? So far through out history human women can get pregnant with a vampire's seed, but they do not survive. Neither do the infants really. Some do but most that do tend to grow to become savages without the proper care.

"But God said that I would create, yes, create I did with our son and yet I knew that wasn't what he was referring to. This species of vampires would go on. I couldn't bring myself to bite another human but Amasa was willing to try.

"Amasa fell in love with a girl named Talia from a near by village. Of course her father didn't find favor in Amasa. In fact the man despised him immensely. Although our son could walk by day he didn't have the means, by human standards at least, to take care of her. Talia was promised to another. But the two of them were in love. She knew already what Amasa was and wanted to join him in this life.

"So before she was to be wed to another, Amasa kidnapped her in the middle of the night. He was the first to create a vampire companion. The burning ache that Talia went through was much like my own and she faired well through it. Amasa brought her into our way of life with much success.

"Talia's transition went very well and the two of them went on to create more vampires. Lilith and I were happy to watch our family grown. The species of vampires grew and with growth there also comes misfortune. We really had no idea how bad it was going to get. Since Talia's transition was such a huge success, we thought that every one of the transitions was going to be that way. We were wrong.

"They turned on each other, killing one another and seeking out their blood lust on the neighboring villages. Laws had to be put in place, not unlike a government of the people but for vampires. Stefan and Vladimir, two of our most loyal and most respected vampires were elected for the job. It was one that they held for quite some time before another in their guard usurped them.

"I do believe that you have heard of Aro, my dear child?"

I nodded my head remembering the painting in Carlisle's office of the three brothers.

"Night-time patrons of the arts," I whispered. And yet as strange and as wonderful as this has been, I couldn't see how any of this had to do with me.

"Between my son, Stefan and Vladimir they grew a strong city in which our kind could dwell in relative peace and safety amongst well cared for humans." Cain sighed, " But like all cities that start out successful there is still petty disagreements about how it should be run and who should be running it.

"I saw Aro's lust for power too late. We squabbled over sacred documents that were in our possession but never did we argue more over one that had long been in Lilith's possession first. We thought that it should be kept locked away and guarded at all times. This scroll or document goes by no name but yet it is filled with many and one that is filled also with immense power. The list contains the names of every angel that had chosen free will and wanted to live lives amongst the humans of this world.

"Angel's that choose a human life are very powerful in this incarnation. Can you imagine if that list fell into the hands of greedy immortals? It has once and only once. The list is guarded at all times by an immortal shield; they are designed to guard the list. There are nine of them altogether. And now sadly only one remains."

Cain looked at me and smiled. My head was swimming with the wealth of information that I had been given in a relatively short amount of time. I had questions upon questions and had no idea where to begin.

"Ah, my dear child," Cain lightly stroked my cheek with his cold hand. "I can see that this has been a lot to take in and you are looking weary. More can and will be explained to you in due time." He stood with Lilith still holding her hand. "You need to rest. We will land in Romania in less than an hour and then we need to prepare."

I cocked my head to the side to look at them with what was probably the look of utter stupidity but I was confused. "Prepare. Prepare for what?"

Lilith laughed light-heartedly. "Prepare for immortality, Isabella. That's what you've always wanted, right?"

I wanted it once but not like this. I wanted a forever with Edward and now that he didn't want me I didn't want forever with anyone. The darkness outside the window once again captured my attention. Tears welled up in my eyes threatening to spill over. Reality became all too real for me. I would now never again be able to lay eyes on my parents or any human for that matter without feeling the blood lust that would soon lay claim to me. Oh how I wished they left me to die in the woods. And now I would be forever immortal, lonely with an un-dead broken heart.

I barely registered that Lilith and Cain had left me alone in the cabin to ponder what had been thrown at me when the captain of the plane announced our dissent into Romania. What was I going to do? How was I going to go through forever without the love of my life? Could I muddle through it with only the knowledge that Edward was out there somewhere in the world? I didn't really know. I guess I didn't really have a choice now, did I?

Cain and Lilith waited for me on the tarmac. No doubt my slow ungraceful clumsiness would surely annoy them but I no longer cared. I was numb. I'm not sure why in the world they thought that I would make a good candidate for vampirism. I had nothing good to add to that world. The only good I had ever felt was now gone.

I remembered Carlisle had said that not everyone makes it through the transformation. Too much venom or not enough could kill a person. I could only hope now that this was the case for me.

Lilith linked her arm with mine as we walked to a car that was waiting for us. As we approached the awaiting vehicle, it's dark tinted window rolled down. Cain nodded to its inhabitant that stayed hidden out of my view.

Eli quickly loaded things into the trunk before opening the back doors for us. I was ushered into the car only to come face to face with the uncanny likeness of Cain. I could only assume that this had to be Amasa, Cain's son.

"I see this excursion was most successful this time." Amasa arched an eyebrow as he looked at his father. Had there been other attempts at trying to get me? Did I really want to know?

"Amasa let me introduce to you, Miss Isabella Swan." Cain gestured to me.

"For once the rumors were true." Cain's son smiled at me.

"Rumors," I muttered.

"He means that your beauty is remarkable, my child." Cain glared at his son and shook his head. There was more that they weren't telling me. "So, has there been any word on what's going on abroad?"

"Yes," Amasa nodded his head. "We do believe that they have sent out a spy. We are to be weary of any travelers heading in our region. I would hope that they would have the wear with all to…"

Cain quickly cut off his son. "We will definitely discuss this later in detail. But I think that Miss Swan would like to have a quiet ride back to the compound. Isn't that right, Isabella?"

"Thank you." It was all I could manage at the moment. I didn't think my brain could take any more information. And right now I didn't care. In all honesty, I think they made a huge mistake in picking me for immortality. As a human, I was utterly pathetic. I could only imagine that Edward and his family were laughing having a grant old time at my expense – a huge joke. Any normal person would have been hurt and angry. I was just hurt.

My only hope now would be that the venom would kill me in my transformation.

~0~

A/N: I am really sorry that this had taken so long to post. I wasn't happy at how it turned out the first time. I re-wrote this chapter several times and then my muse up and disappeared. I had writers block up until a few days ago. I'm now happy at how this turned out. I also re-wrote Edward's chapter (the previous one). I didn't like his conversation with Charlie. I thought it was really lame and changed it up a bit. You don't have to re-read the chapter if you don't want to as it's not really going to effect the story at all.

Thanks to all of you who have stuck with this.


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